Right or Wrong: The Color You Choose To Brand Your New Business Start Up Has No Affect On Customers"

Color affects us in many ways“, says image consultant Jo Clary. It can, she also says, determine everything from our mood, to the way a room affects us, to why we purchase a product, or not. And, very importantly, it can shape the reaction people have when meeting you.

Interestingly, colors send out unique messages which, though they affect people, are messages people - and your customers - are unaware of. Color sends messages which create trust, soothe, excite, and can even threaten - your customers. In short, color sends both positive and negative messages. Messages you can control by your choice and use of color.

Choosing Color for Brand Recognition:

On the one hand, when it comes to branding, and recognition, color can boost not only a customer’s recognition of a particular item, but their response to it. The wrong brand color can stimulate the customer to question purchasing or not. It can also strongly affect how your customer determines what your biz stands for.

Consider this color guide when choosing colors to brand your business:

Bright Yellow gets a customer’s attention; and holds it. On the other hand yellow and black, as a combination, designate danger and risk. Giving the customer a blatant message which says “Beware!”

Black is considered a dynamic and strong color. It can inspire action. On the other hand Gray does not inspire action; using it could hold your business back. Instead, deep Grey presents a message of strength and success.

Blue - the medium to rich dark blue shades - evokes trust.

Brown shows dependability. In that same vein, the color Caramel comes across as non-threatening and reliable. Sending the customer a message of support and reliability.

Never use Purple or Violet when selling products or services such as insurance. It represents insecurity.

The use of color is also the same for Internet businesses. For example:

Black, in western cultures, signifies power and sophistication. However in others it can stand for death.

Red does its job attracting attention. It also stands for strength and action. On the other hand, certain pale shades of Yellow can stand for weakness or cowardice.

White, in America, has always denoted purity and cleanliness. However in some eastern cultures white denotes death.

On the Internet, use of the color Purple, can stimulate creativity. Whereas vibrant Orange stimulates appetite.

Also on the Internet, certain Green shades - close to the usual color of American dollars - can suggest money and success. And other yellow-green shades suggest greed, envy, jealousy. And also inexperience.

Is more color - or less - better when branding your new business?

Less is always better. Except when selling products to young children. In that case, the more color the better.

John Williams, president and founder of LogoYes.com, says the more color used for marketing materials, logos and other merchandising, the more and different messages you’re sending to customers. Creating confusion. “Even”, he says, “if you intend to send messages which are complimentary”. Not only are customers unable to assimilate all those messages, they can’t be expected to remember the message, Williams says.

When choosing color/s, ask yourself these 3 things to help determine if it will actually send the message you have in mind. And brand your biz in the best possible way:

1. Will the color I’ve chosen appeal to my general customer base? If you choose shades of light Pink, will your young female customers buy? Or is it the right darker shade of Pink adult women respond to? Have you taken age, gender, trendiness - even culture - into consideration when choosing? Have you considered other variables your particular customer base responds well to?

2. Is this color presenting the message I’m intending to convey? If it doesn’t, what other color/s can I effectively use?

3. Is this color I’ve chosen one which usually signifies my niche? Will my business stand out using this color? Or will it be indistinguishable among the competition? The message you send - via the color you choose - can help set your business apart from the competition. And further help your brand it.

Bottom line:

Remember, the message - your color choice sends - can easily mean the difference between the failure or success of your new home or small business. Take your time; and choose wisely.
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