With millions of e-mail messages received each day, the problem is getting yours to stand out and be remembered. Some people try to get noticed with catchy subject lines. Assuming a person opens and reads your message, the real trick is getting them to act upon it or at least remember it.

That's where you might look at a novel solution. Newspaper writers love to quote sources for their information instead of just telling you the information directly; we tend to “believe” experts more than reporters. Daytime talk shows attract large audiences. How about a way of combining both using e-mail?

How about creating playlets instead of providing information in a factual manner? The following is an example of what I mean. My example is an imaginary conversation between an interviewer and me.

Interviewer: What is the method that you think will help folks create memorable e-mail?

Joel Heffner: One method is simple: use playlets.

Interviewer: What do you mean by a “playlet”?

Joel Heffner: A playlet is a short play, or conversation between two people, or more if you'd like.

Interviewer: What kinds of conversations might a business use?

Joel Heffner: A business could start the e-mail with something like the following. This is from a recent conversation I had with a client [or, this is what one of our typical conversations sound like]:

Interviewer: How's this like a newspaper article?

Joel Heffner: The two people become the sources, instead of you saying something directly.

Interviewer: And how's this like daytime television?

Joel Heffner: People love to eavesdrop on “conversations.”

Interviewer: Will this really work?

Joel Heffner: It's something that a business might consider for a creative solution to a specific problem.

Interviewer: Do you know of anyone else who uses playlets for business writing?

Joel Heffner: As a matter of fact, I know of a whole book that uses this technique very well. Its called High Probability Selling, and you can read the first four chapters online.

Creating playlets probably won't become your regular method of sending e-mail. However, when you want to send something special, this might be just the kind of thing that will get the recipient to remember you a little bit better.