- Guidelines
- Example 1
- Example 2
- Example 3
- Example 4
- Example 5
- Example 6
- Example 7
- Example 8
- Example 9
- Example 10
Guidelines : Of Products/Services/Forms
Introducing Products, Services, or Forms
Guidelines and Alternate Phrases
- Introduce the product, equipment, service, or form immediately.
- Explain how the new product, service, equipment, or form differs from whatever is already available: Is it less expensive? Easier to use? More accurate? Safer? State exactly what its significance is.
- Mention any exceptions to primary use or application. Who is ineligible to use this service, product, form, equipment? What are its limitations?
- Make the item or service easy to investigate. Most readers approach anything new with a wait-and-see-what-everybody-else-thinks hesitancy. Consider offering a sample; an attached illustration; a “case study” explanation; a demonstration; a class; or readily available assistance by phone, visit, or display.
- In memos, use the term “new” or its equivalent in the subject line to call immediate attention.
Example 1: New product introduction
Memorandum
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT: New Reference Booklet on Tube Feedings
A new reference booklet entitled Tube-Feeding Formulas is now available to all dietitians, dietetic interns, and nurses. The information is designed as a reference for ordering proper tube feedings for patients unable to eat. Key topics include the ordering of calories, protein, carbohydrates, fats, sodium, and potassium.
Formulating diets for each patient through the tedious task of searching scattered reference sources will no longer be necessary. With this new booklet as an authoritative and standard source, patients should more readily accept diets prescribed for them.
You’ll note the booklet is designed in the 7″ x 4″ size to fit easily into our Nurses’ Handbook. Both, of course, will still be sold separately. The price of the booklet is $1.49. To our knowledge, this information is not available in this compact format at this low price from any other company.
If your customers would like to examine the booklet to determine its usefulness to particular groups before ordering in quantity, we’d be happy to furnish them with a free copy. Simply phone Marilyn Graham at extension 222 and give her the customer’s mailing address. She will be glad to handle this mailing detail for you and to refer the customer to the appropriate representative for follow-up.
Even though your customers will not be our primary market, we have enclosed a copy of the booklet so you will be able to field any questions about it.
Example 2: Introducing a new product letter
Memorandum
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT: New Dictating Equipment
The Milton transcriber equipment for the Word Processing Center is now available. We’re excited about the increased productivity this new equipment will allow, and we encourage each of you to take advantage of this simple writing method.
I’ve arranged for a Milton consultant to conduct 20 user sessions during the week of April 12-16. Sessions will begin at 8:00, 10:00, 2:00, and 4:00 each day of that week; drop by at your convenience.
We will issue each of you your first cassette and bill your department accordingly. Each time you turn in a taped cassette to the Word Processing Center for transcription, you will receive a replacement at no cost. If you need a recorder for use away from the office, you must get approval from the appropriate manager.
The equipment will transcribe from either standard or microcassettes but not from the minicassettes. Although the minicassette capability would be an asset, we want to avoid this additional cost at the present time.
Example 3: Announcing a new service
Memorandum
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT: Special Travel Service and Discount from Continental Hotels
We’ve been able to secure a special reduced corporate rate at the Continental Hotels chain, a discount unavailable through any other local agency at this time. In order to receive this discount, however, we must make all travel arrangements through one company representative.
Ms. Sue Lemitz, suite 4882-D, will be handling this new service for you and dealing directly with Continental. To make your travel arrangements, please call her (ext. 115) with the following information: guest name, department, office location, arrival date, departure date, local and destination contact name and phone number, and type of room required (single, double, suite).
All rooms will be guaranteed for late arrivals. Since Continental will deal with no one other than our designated representative, Ms. Lemitz must make all cancellations or changes for you before she leaves each day at 5:30 p.m. Please make every effort to phone her about a change of plans before that hour; otherwise, the company must pay for any unused room.
Example 4: New product introduction letter
Memorandum
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT: New Form for Journal Entries of Manual Invoices and Other Receivables
Attached is a completed sample of the new form designed for journal entries of manual invoices and other receivables. The new form has been changed to provide adequate information for direct feed into the new MARC system.
The major change (circled in red) on the form is the accounts-receivable information section added to the right of the amount columns. The business area coding has been added as a permanent code for data-entry purposes.
This new form should be used only when a receivable entry is being recorded. These new columns, completed only if the receivable entry is a credit and clears a specific open item, will reference the original invoice date and number being credited.
If you have any questions about completing these forms, please notify Bill White at ext. 321.
Example 5: Marketing letter
Memorandum
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT: Our Turkeys Are Here
In order to help you and your family celebrate Thanksgiving this year, we will be giving away 12 pound Little Farms turkeys. If you want a turkey, register with Julie Marks before Wednesday. Julie will give you a coupon good at Hardy’s Supermarket at 836 North Maple St. Only one per employee please.
You can thank David Purcell for his initiative on this.
Example 6: Introducing a new product letter
Memorandum
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT: New Vacation Request Form
We have a new vacation request form. Except in emergencies, approval for vacation days cannot be granted unless we receive this form at least one week before the days you want to take off.
You can obtain forms from your division chief’s office. The request will then be approved or denied in writing by your division chief.
With your cooperation, we can make the vacation scheduling process less chaotic for your supervisors. Let’s avoid any further mix-ups with vacation days by consistently documenting our requests and approvals.
Example 7: Product letters
Memorandum
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT: New Day Care Center
I am happy to announce that we now have in-house daycare for the children of employees. This is another step in our attempt to offer a family-friendly work environment.
Located on the fifth floor in room 590A-B, the center will accommodate up to 50 children between the ages of 3 and 11. It will be open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. A special lunch room area adjacent to the center will allow parents to spend lunch with their children.
Missouri TeleCom will pay 50 percent of the fees, so that the final cost to parents will be $3.00 per hour per child.
Although we are not able to handle special needs children, we will look into adding such capabilities if there is an expressed need.
Brian Ames will act as the new director of the daycare. He is eager to meet interested parents and get your input about the center. He will hold meetings in room 590A-B on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. and Friday at 8:00 a.m. The meetings are expected to last about one hour.
Example 8: Company New product
Memorandum
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT: New Chairs and Keyboards
In an effort to prevent sore backs and wrists, the Office of Supply Services is providing ergonomically designed chairs and keyboards for all data entry staff. The new equipment will be delivered on May third.
We are working to make your office space as comfortable as possible.
Example 9: Product
Memorandum
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT: New Bar Code Tracking System
Beginning March 19, we will institute a bar code system to track our laboratory samples through each stage of the testing process.
When we receive samples for testing, the prep assistants will register each with the name and address of the donor, the name and address of the doctor, the date, and the donor’s profile. The bar code readers installed at each computer station will allow us to call up this information on any sample instantly. Lab assistants will then add the pertinent testing results to the file, re-scan the code, and the information will be saved. Assistants will save time they used to spend re-typing this information at each testing stage.
Bob Nelson at Health Source Laboratories tells me they implemented the bar code tracking system several months ago, and their lab techs have responded enthusiastically.
We will have a training session in the main lab for prep and lab assistants on the 18th of March at 12:00 noon.
I am sure the time we take to learn the new system will be well worth the time we save in repeatedly re-entering data.
Example 10: Services
Memorandum
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT: “Open” MRI Unit Installed in Pediatrics
An “open” MRI unit is newly installed in Room 19 of the Pediatrics Wing.
Although using diagnostic equipment from other wings is usually frowned upon, this MRI is available for use by any division. It is the only unit in the hospital which is “open,” meaning the components are installed in the floor and the ceiling. In other words, there are no side walls that make patients feel like they are lying in a tunnel. The new MRI is available only for pediatric patients and patients who are unduly anxious about using the regular unit.
Carol Browner is the technician-in-charge of pediatrics. You may call her for patient scheduling at 555-3757.