Stress study could help guide sales

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A Harris Interactive survey measuring citizen stress levels in 25 major American markets discovered that Chicago is the most stressed out and Miami the most laid back. The company that commissioned the poll has plans for using the info that might guide your own efforts.


The company that paid for the study is Princess Cruises, and it quite rightly wanted to know where stress levels are highest because that is where it will find people most in need of an escape – that’s where it will offer its own services as an antidote.

“Princess Cruises launched this barometer because we believe we offer Americans the perfect escape from their busy, frenetic lives; a way for people to break away from their everyday routine to refresh and relax,” said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises executive vice president.

Here are the 25 markets, ranked from the most stressful to least.

1. Chicago

2. Houston

3. Boston

4. Los Angeles

5. San Diego

6. Denver

7. San Francisco

8. Detroit

9.  Tampa (tie)

9.  Portland, Ore. (tie)

11. Seattle

12. Washington, D.C. (tie)

12. Baltimore (tie)

14. Sacramento   

15. Pittsburgh   

16. Philadelphia    

17. New York

18. Phoenix

19. Atlanta

20. St. Louis

21. Minneapolis

22. Cincinnati

23. Las Vegas

24. Dallas/Fort Worth

25. Miami

RBR-TVBR observation: Information such as this, providing insight into the mindset of the average citizen in your area, can help point the way to company categories worthy of a special sales effort, and on top of that, guide the creative used to make sure the targeted companies mount an effective campaign.

And we suppose this information can work two ways. Princess wants to find stressful areas – so if you have a product or service that can help break the leisurely, laid-back monotony that some might sink into at the other end of the spectrum, you could also make use of this list.