Ans :
• The memo carries the word MEMORANDUM on top of the page whereas a
business letter makes use of the company letterhead. The memo form contains
space beneath the heading for writing the name (and/or designation) of the sender
and receiver(s), the date and the subject.
• It is often short, running to a few lines. Sometimes, it may be a few paragraphs
long, though it rarely exceeds a page. However, a memo does not, necessarily
have to be confined to one page. A letter is usually a page or more in length.
• It is less formal than a letter. It has no salutation at the beginning or at the end.
Unlike a letter, it has no inside address and the designations of the receivers is
written informally such as ‘Managers: Sales, Prod’ etc.
• A memo states its purpose directly, while a letter usually refers to a previous
communication and leads to the main message by stating the context first.
• Politeness markers, which are an indispensable part of a business letter, are less
used in a memo. A request is made directly (e.g. ‘Please come to my office’) and
not indirectly as in a formal letter (e.g. ‘I hope it will be possible to ……..’).
However, it must be remembered that polite expressions are not dispensed with
altogether. Courtesy is never cast aside as it is an integral part of any business
communication.
