Like persuasive business letters, persuasive memos do more than provide facts. They attempt to convince the reader to cooperate in a desired action. Below are two examples of Persuasive memos.
PERSUASIVE MEMO EXAMPLE 1
To: A. Smith
From: M. Jones
Date: February 3, 2010
Subject: Video Camera Replacement
After our conversation regarding the limitations of our current camcorder, I have done some research and am recommending that we purchase a Sony HDR-XR500V. This camera has a remote microphone jack and a 120GB hard drive. It is also capable of shooting in low-light conditions. The battery life is nearly twice that of our current cameras. The regular price for this camera is $1199, but I have found it on sale for only $999.
This will allow us to provide a much greater range of coverage of special events that may last more than two hours or have limited lighting. Because our current camera does not have remote microphone capability, it will also give us much better sound quality.
I am confident that the Executive Board will have no problem approving this purchase with the audio/visual department funds that have already been allocated for this fiscal year. However, you will need to call a special meeting after church this Sunday if we are to get approval in time to purchase the equipment at the special sale price.
MBJ
Today, many memos are actually distributed through email when team members are not conveniently located for hand distribution. Most email programs provide a method for mass emailing to a list of recipients. However, for a business email, a formal style is still necessary.
PERSUASIVE MEMO EXAMPLE #2
To: Team Leaders
From: M. Jones
Date: January 3, 2010
Subject: 2010 Relay for Life
The organizational meeting for the 2010 Relay for Life campaign will be on January 20th. Please arrange to attend this very important event. The theme for this year’s Relay is “The Colors of Cancer,” and each team will be assigned their color at the meeting. Have your fundraising plans ready to present so that other teams may be aware of your activities and be ready to lend assistance where they can.
If you cannot attend, please send an alternate to choose your color and present your plans. Let’s get this year’s campaign off to a bang-up start.
Resources
Ph.D., Sherron Bienvenu
The Presentation Skills Workshop: Helping People Create and Deliver Great Presentations
1 ed. New York: Amacom, 2006. Print.
Welcome to the Purdue University Online Writing Lab
Writing Memos
http://owl.english.purdue.edu
Haass, Richard N
The Bureaucratic Entrepreneur: How to Be Effective in Any Unruly Organization.
Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution Press, 1999. Print.
