How Colors Affect Your Marketing
By Jay Conrad Levinson and Mitch Meyerson
The colors you use in your marketing weapons --
stationery, signs, office decor, brochures, business cards -- play an important
role in motivating people. Colors speak loudly and clearly about your business.
But they give forth mixed messages. Guerrillas know well the hidden language of
color -- and know that colors speak louder than words. They stimulate emotions,
excite, impress, entertain, persuade. They generate negative reactions if you
don't understand them. Lasting impressions are made within 90 seconds and color
accounts for 60 percent of the acceptance or rejection. So don't select the
colors you love. Instead consider their meaning to prospects. Here is what
colors mean to people in their emotions and in a business
context: |
Red evokes aggressiveness, passion, strength, vitality. In
business, it is great for accents and boldness, stimulates appetites, is
associated with debt.
Pink evokes femininity,
innocence, softness, health. In business, be sure you're aware of its feminine
implications and associations.
Orange evokes fun, cheeriness, warm exuberance. In business, it's great to
highlight information in graphs and on charts evokes positivity,
sunshine and cowardice. In business, it appeals to intellectuals and is
excellent for accenting things. Too much is unnerving.
Green evokes tranquility, health, freshness. In business, its deep tones convey status
and wealth; its pale tones are soothing.
Blue evokes authority, dignity, security, faithfulness. In business, it
implies fiscal responsibility and security. Plus it is universally
popular.
Yellow is an optimistic color
that almost always evokes a positive response. Yellow gets you motivated; it
stimulates creative and intellectual energy; it's cheerful and
easygoing.
Purple evokes sophistication,
spirituality, costliness, royalty and mystery. In business, it's right for
upscale and artistic audiences.
Brown evokes utility,
earthiness, woodsiness and subtle richness. In business, it signifies less
important items in documents.
White evokes purity, truthfulness, being contemporary and refined. In business, it
enlivens dark colors and can be refreshing or sterile.
Gray evokes
somberness, authority, practicality and a corporate mentality. In business, it
is always right for conservative audiences.
Black evokes
seriousness, distinctiveness, boldness and being classic. In business, it
creates drama and is often a fine background color.
Spend
some time this week looking at your own
marketing materials and see if there are
any changes you want to make to your color
scheme.
