“Help!!!! Why is Wednesday spelled like that?”
— Blake Shelton
Well, here we are in August, holy shit, where didi the year go? Decided to take a detour on today’s topic, and go all humpy. Most of us are familiar with the term 'Hump Day,' a moniker applied to the middle day of the workweek - Wednesday. But have you ever wondered where this term originated and when it began? Let's embark on a journey through time to trace the origins of 'Hump Day' and investigate its impact, using some intriguing statistics.
The Origins of 'Hump Day'
The term 'Hump Day' is primarily used in North America to signify that once Wednesday is over, we're 'over the hump' and on the downhill slide towards the weekend. But the origins of the term are slightly hazy.
The use of the term 'Hump Day' in relation to Wednesday started surfacing in the 1960s. The Oxford English Dictionary cites the earliest printed reference in an article from 1965 in the Ada Evening News in Oklahoma. The term was possibly derived from the common phrase "over the hump," which means moving past the difficult part of a task.
But it wasn't until the 20th century, particularly during the 70s and 80s, that the term truly gained momentum. The rise in usage of the term could be attributed to the traditional Monday-to-Friday, 9-to-5 workweek becoming more ingrained in American culture.
Impact of 'Hump Day'
Despite its colloquial roots, the idea of Wednesday as 'Hump Day' seems to influence our behaviors and even our productivity. Here are a few statistics and observations that demonstrate this.
Productivity Patterns: According to a study by Accountemps, Tuesday emerged as the most productive day of the week, with 39% of HR managers sharing this view. Interestingly, Wednesday followed with 24% of the vote, indicating a potential mid-week productivity slump.
Coffee Consumption: While concrete data is scarce, anecdotal evidence suggests that coffee shops might observe higher sales on Wednesdays. This could mean people are looking for a little caffeine push to make it over the 'hump.'
Wellness Interests: Google Trends data has shown an increase in wellness-related searches (e.g., yoga, meditation) in the middle of the week, often peaking on Wednesday. This suggests that people might seek strategies to combat stress as the workweek hits its midpoint.
Social Media Engagement: Social media platforms have reported higher engagement in the middle of the week. A study by Sprout Social highlighted Wednesday as the optimal day for Instagram posts to garner engagement.
Mood Variations: Research published in the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology in 2008 found that people's moods were no worse on Monday than on other weekdays, but there was a slight increase in negative affect on Wednesday, potentially corroborating the 'Hump Day' concept.
It's clear that 'Hump Day,' despite its informal origins, has had tangible effects on our work and lifestyle patterns. So what does it mean for sales?
Hump day can be a great day for us sellers, and there are some general observations that could be made about enterprise sales patterns and how they could potentially relate to the day of the week:
Sales Productivity: According to a study by InsideSales.com, the best days to connect with leads are Wednesday and Thursday. This could imply higher sales activities, and possibly sales, in the middle of the week.
Email Marketing: Similar to B2C e-commerce, a report by Mailchimp suggested that B2B email open rates are highest on Tuesday and Wednesday. This can lead to higher lead generation and potential sales on these days.
Sales Calls: According to sales engagement platform, RingDNA, sales call connection rates were highest on Wednesdays. More connections could lead to more conversions and sales.
Webinars and Demos: Anecdotal evidence from many enterprise sales teams suggests that mid-week, particularly Wednesday, is the optimal time for scheduling demos or webinars. Prospective clients may be more likely to have availability, increasing the chances of moving deals forward.
For closers: In the United States, average enterprise sales on hump day are 15% higher than on other weekdays.
So, when you are staring at your screen on that coffee low at 2:15 today, grab a cup o’ Joe, pick up the phone and close some business! Happy selling.