Writing for Action -- Conclusions First

When you try to get someone to do something -- your boss, your employees, your Congressman, your landlord -- get right to the point. Start off with your "bottom line," the action you want taken; then lay out the whys and hows.

An action request is not a mystery novel, where you find the solution on the last page. That's because mystery buffs enjoy the cleverly written story leading up to "whodunit." But your real-life reader is not fascinated by the tale of how you came to your recommendation. He will be annoyed by evidence and reasoning that goes he-knows-not-where-yet. Your memo will likely get to the waste basket before your reader gets to the bottom line.

The only reason to put the evidence and argumentation ahead of the proposal would be if you are trying to open the mind of a reader who is dead set against the proposal, exposing him to the evidence before he crumples up the paper. Otherwise, write your action memos with the philosophy of "Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first." nnn