Importance Continued…

I've delayed posting this entry, which is quite ironic actually… Its on the importance of timely communication – basically, replying quickly…

I have a theory I call “the half-life of a response." I believe that if someone (an average individual) does not reply to a message (email, text, phone call, etc.) within 24 hours, the chances that he will reply go down 50%. The theory continues with a 50% reduction in reply likelihood every 24 hours, so by the time 1 week passes, it's been cut in half 7 times leaving about a 3/4% chance the person is going to respond.

This theory can be applied many ways, from understanding the importance of follow up within 48 hours to realizing the need to reply within the same time frame. Whether it's business or friendship or family, the message for me is the same: write back right away, then file the message (either in a categorized folder or in the trash!)

Knowing this, maybe next time you send out a mass email and silence is the response you get, you'll follow up with individual messages instead of wondering why no one replied.
Taking the message to the “next level" is one sure way to keep the comm's flowing in a timely fashion. If that's important to you, hopefully this is a useful tool!

Peace,
Adam