I think one of the most understated marketing tools is the timestamp.

If you're like me, when you receive your emails your eyes dart around the To:, the CC:, and the timestamp.  And if you're like me, when you wake up and scroll through your RSS reader, you wonder how you have 212 new posts by 9:00AM.  If you're still like me, you then look to the timestamp for your answer.  Hi, my name is Kiersten and I am fascinated with how people spend their time...I'm also concerned that you're so much like me.

I've found there are three things your timestamp can say about you before the content even comes into the picture:

1. Your relationship with sleep--I have a weird relationship with sleep.  I used to think it was just me and P. Diddy who felt like sleep was what happened when you stopped thinking about money.  For me, sleep has been an interesting side effect to LIFE. LIVING. BEING...Then I was comforted by Chris Brogan's post the other day.  He pretty much sums up my thoughts when he says "no I don't sleep. Until I do, and then I fall down asleep like a ton of bricks".  As much as I'd like to think that being awake has some sort of unparalleled benefit, I quickly found the evidence in favor of meticulously counting sheep outnumbers my theory by leaps and bounds.  It's pretty obvious to say that human error is linked to how much rest we've had. President Clinton (Bill) once said that every major mistake he made was done when he was tired.  While I don't have the weight of the US on my shoulders, I am the "boss" that my team goes home to talk about at dinner tables across Mecklenburg County...no pressure, right?

2. Your work/life balance (or lack thereof)--Whether you're an integrator or a "balancer", it will evidenced within your timestamps.  I have a boss who does not check email after 4 on Fridays until he returns on Monday.  According to basic economics, his scarcity makes him a hot commodity.  Since I'm perfectly irrational, I can't help but feel he's shirking on some responsibility.  Meanwhile, I have another boss who has his emails forwarded straight to his personal cell phone.  The response is quick and full of acronyms.  His signature lists his name, title, and while others have an inspiring quote or contact info, his asks for forgiveness for any spelling errors as he is using his Blackberry.  It always solicits an interesting reaction from first timers.  The cool thing about the whole personal branding movement is that you get to choose which image you want to convey.  You choose how available you are.  The problem comes when the image you chose gets misinterpreted.

3. Your baggage--Yes, your timestamp can reveal your emotional baggage.  I remember checking my email after we rolled some structural changes that were made within our company.  A colleague of mine sent me an email at 1:00AM starting with "I know it's late, but I can't sleep" and revealed her questions and concerns.  I was in HR and was prepared to answer them.  However as I kept going through my inbox I saw another one from her at 3:15AM, 3:18AM, and at 6:00AM.  It wasn't initial concern that made me shake my head--it was the B-A-G-G-A-G-E that caused her to send her concern in rapid fire.  Was she worried Outlook was out to get her too?  Just from her timestamps alone I read: panic, anxiety, fear, stress, and discomfort.  When your reader dives into your content with that perception of you, there's no way your message will be received clearly.  At 9:00AM she sent me an email apologizing for "overreacting"...

So it's almost 3:00AM here. I'm exhausted.  I just sent a professional email out to someone I've never met...a blogger's Molotov Cocktail.

If my timestamp truly is my first impression, I wonder what the recipient is thinking of me...