An ask made in person is far more effective than an email
What they found
A face-to-face request got about 34 times more people to say yes than the identical request sent by e-mail. Askers had no idea - they expected the two channels to work about equally.
How they know
Participants asked 450 strangers to fill in a questionnaire, half by e-mail, half in person, with the exact same script, while the askers' expectations were recorded beforehand.
What it means for you
If a request matters - a client, a favor, an opportunity - do not send it. Say it. Presence carries trust that text strips away.
The limits
One kind of small request between cold strangers - the authors suspect e-mail from someone you know fares better, but that was not tested; and 34x is one study's estimate, not a universal constant.
This is a short takeaway in our own words, not a reproduction of the study. For the method, the sample and the caveats, read the original. Mind lives inside the Booking Minds app under the brain icon, where you can save and share each piece.