Just before Christmas I updated my voicemail message to something along the lines of: “…text or email me rather than leaving a message as I receive these much quicker than messages…” For the actual msg call 778.899.5423.

The idea to do this came from the realization that certain friends were no longer returning messages and the realization that I too found myself taking days in some cases to check voicemail. Texts and emails however, are responded to almost immediately.

I then came across people discussing the same thing in Twitter and decided a new trend had emerged.

The fact is, people are getting used to consuming smaller and smaller pieces of information and in quicker time frames. Texts, emails sent via mobile devices and services such as Twitter (which limits posts to 140 characters) are forcing us to cut out the waste and get to the point.

The question for 2009 is: how can you take this insight and work it into the sales, marketing, and customer service sides of your business?

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While I’m not an expert on usability I know who to look to for the answers. If you want to increase your conversions, help visitors find things easier, and improve your traffic, then check out:

1. Useit.com – Jakub Nielson’s site. JN is the usability expert world wide.
2. Steve Krug’s book: Don’t make me think – the now legendary title, available from Amazon.

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