Are you looking for ways to grab the attention of your target market? Do you want your logo or business sign to tell the customer what you’re all about before they learn about your brand? If so, then you need to learn about the psychology of color in business.
Whether companies realize it or not, the colors they use in their logos and marketing collateral sends a subliminal message to all who lay eyes on it. This can be a valuable tool if you use it right.
See below for an in-depth guide on what color psychology in marketing is all about.
What is Color Psychology?
Have you ever laid your eyes on a company sign and instantly knew what their product or service was before you stepped inside their store? The Whole Foods logo is a good example of this.
Perhaps you find yourself favorite certain companies over another in a particular niche, such as preferring Costco over Sam’s Club. Why do we choose the brands that we choose?
There are many reasons, but one of the most prevalent being the use of the psychology of color in business.
Color psychology is what expert designers and marketers use to send a subliminal message to their target customers. It refers to the unique thoughts and feelings that a certain color portrays to those that lay eyes on it.
For example, in color psychology, the color red exemplifies excitement and youthfulness. The color blue represents feelings of loyalty and steadfastness. Every color has its own message that it sends.
But that’s not all. The color can send different emotions depending on the shade that you use in your company logo or sign. For example, light green represents calm and serenity, while dark green gives off a feeling of good luck and health.
Color psychology is one of the top design tips that experts give when you go to design a custom LED sign for your business. Be sure to visit this article if you wish to learn more about that.
How to Use the Psychology of Color in Business
Okay so different colors mean different things. You get that now. But what in the world does that have to do with your company?
Let’s put it this way: we’d be so bold as to say that the colors you use for your branding can either make or break your business. That isn’t a bluff on our end. First impressions are everything to customers, and what’s the first thing they notice about your logo? The colors, symbols, and words that are on it.
Before you incorporate colors into your branding, think about the message that you want to send to your target market.
For example, if you’re a law firm, then you might choose blue as your dominant color, to give off a sense of professionalism and loyalty. If you’re a marketing agency, then you might choose yellow to personify happiness or red to personify excitement.
Example of Color Psychology Done Right
To give you a better understanding of how much of an advantage color psychology can give you, let’s use one of the most successful companies on earth as our case study: Google.
You all can probably list the colors in the Google logo without having to look it up—red, yellow, green, and blue. Let’s break down some of the most dominant emotions that those colors portray:
- Red: Excitement, Bold, Energetic
- Yellow: Optimism, Comfort, Eagerness
- Green: Peaceful, Trusting
- Blue: Strong, Trustworthy
Do you see any adjectives in that list that you wouldn’t want as a search engine? By using color psychology in marketing, Google has successfully told customers all that they need to know about their brand.
As soon as they lay eyes on it, the customer knows that Google is a trustworthy search engine they can use to find exciting content, as well as optimistic answers to their biggest pain points.
What’s also important to note here is how you can use the different colorways to show your customers how you can help them.
For example, let’s say you started a company that can help customers get their pages to rank higher on Google’s top search results. You could use the Google colors (down to the hex color ID) in your logo and people would instantly know what your company, “SEO Ready”, can do.
How It All Ties Together
We’ve covered a lot of ground, here. Let’s bring it all together. How do you plan on implementing the techniques of color psychology in your branding? How can you take advantage of the psychological effects of colors in business?
Here’s the important thing: understand the emotions behind your colors. Don’t pick exciting colors just because you think it will attract a better crowd. Make sure that the colors and shades that you use stick true to who you are as a company.
Believe us, your target market is out there. Using color psychology, as well as a few other branding tactics, you can create a logo and marketing strategy that sends them to you in droves. Simply set up the line and reel in the fish!
Use the Psychology of Color in Business Today
Now that you have seen an in-depth guide on how to use the psychology of color in business to promote your brand, be sure to use this information to your advantage.
Be sure to browse our website for more articles on color psychology, as well as many other topics that you will enjoy.