TRADITIONAL CLASSIFICATIONS OF LETTERS

TRADITIONAL CLASSIFICATIONS OF LETTERS

Letter messages have evolved over a long time. A traditional way of classifying these letters in five different ways is as below:

(1) Classifying on the basis of nature of the contact

(i) Personal letters
These are written to friends and relatives and follow informal and friendly style. They help:
 Exchange information
 Seek information
 Seek help, guidance or advice, etc
(ii) Impersonal letters
These are usually business letters written in a formal style. They are intended to exchange communication among individual functionaries, firms and institutions.

(2) Classifying on the basis of the approach

Three categories are:
(i) Direct letters
In these letters, one comes directly to the point without any introductory remarks. Such letters are useful for:
 Inquiries
 Quotations
 Orders
 Good news messages
 Offers of appointment
 Promotions
 Instructions for job
(ii) Indirect letters
The theme of such letters is not as pleasant as they concern bad news like:
 Not being able to sanction the loan
 Cannot concede the claim preferred
 Not being able to accept the terms asked for
In such letters, there is always an introductory sentence that is intended to put the receiver in a good frame of mind.
(iii) Persuasive letters
These are mainly sales letters where one has to think of an opening that catches readers‟ attention immediately and prompts him to read on. The message is aimed at persuading readers to buy the product or acquire/experience the service offered.

(3) Classifying on the basis of types of communication
Four types are:

(i) Official letters
These are letters written to Government, semi-government and other statutory authorities and are addressed formally.
(ii) Demi-official (DO) letters
These are also official letters but are addressed to a person by name. DO letters are written if matter:
 Requires personal attention of the addressee
 Is of confidential nature
 Is urgent requiring immediate disposal/response
(iii) Form letters
These are letters that are used for correspondence on routine and recurring issues. These are usually preprinted as forms with suitable blanks and hence the name. These are used for:
 Acknowledgment
 Reminders
 Interviews
 Notices
 Appointments etc
Sometimes, various possible alternative responses are preprinted and the applicable paragraph(s) is ticked. They lack personal touch but save effort and time.
(iv) Internal letters
These take the form of memos written among different functions and departments within an organization. They are eminently suitable for internal communication.

(4) Classifying on the basis of the subject of the letters

These may be one of the several types as below:
 Inquiries
 Orders
 Credit information
 Collection of debts and dues
 Complaints
 Sales promotion
 Sales circulars
 Appointment of agencies etc

(5) Classifying on the basis of functions/departments of the firm

A few major functional heads are:
(i) Personnel letters
These are letters emanating from the personnel/human resource department:
 Inviting applications for notified vacancies
 Calling for preliminary interviews
 Calling for written tests
 Calling for recruitment interviews
 Sending offers of appointment
 Issuing circulars for training and development
 Issuing promotion, increment or bonus letters
 Issuing warning letters etc
(ii) Purchasing letters
These letters cover the correspondence for purchasing and other allied functions in materials management, supply chain functions, etc:
 Inviting tenders or quotations
 Placing orders for supplies and contracts for services & materials
 Sending reminders
 Sending complaint letters etc
(iii) Sales letters
These are letters pertaining to the marketing and sales activities of the firm:
 Advertising, publicity and marketing communication
 Marketing research and surveys of customers and competitors
 Sales circulars
 Giving and soliciting specific sales information etc
(iv) Accounting and finance letters
These letters may relate to:
 Account payable
 Account receivable
 Banking
 Investments etc