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Do you ever ask yourself, why do some brands pop up in the mind and others nearly do not make any impression at all? Or why that particular packaging of a product draws your attention while other packages look so ordinary?
Among the many factors of a product that can be used to affect these perceptions, color can be considered as one of the most dominant, yet ignored elements at that.
It refers to the branch of psychology dealing with effects of colors on human behavior. And, marketing cannot underestimate the impact which colors have on the decision making process of buyers.
Choice of colors that a brand appropriates will provoke feelings, create credibility, and force customers to make a spontaneous purchase. It is important to know how to apply colors effectively. As this can result in higher conversions, better engagement and more sales, no matter if you are a business owner, marketer or designer.
Here, in this one-stop conversion, you will find out how color really works when it comes to the consumer’s decision process. We will also give real-life illustration of how this knowledge can be applied by businesses in their branding and marketing strategies.
And if you have ever wanted to read about what colors grab people’s attention to purchasing products then this guide on color meaning is just for you.
Why Color Matters in Sales and Marketing?
In the first instance, color is the first thing that a person gets to see when they are dealing with your company’s logo, your website or any material product or service that you may be offering to the public through an advertisement.
Indeed, researchers have reported that an astonishing 90% of a person’s perception of a product is determined by the color. So, it has to be among the most critical aspects of branding and marketing.
But why does this people’s choice of color affect them so much? The answer lies back in the ability of the human brain in perceiving such images. Color has the ability to provoke emotions and emotions are the major factors that influence purchase decisions.
For instance, red and/ or orange creates a feeling that something is urgent or too hot to handle. The blue or green creates a feeling of calmness or trust. In other words, color can cause not only the emotional responses but behavioral ones with regards to a particular brand.
It takes about 90 seconds for people to judge a product and about 62% to 90% of this judgment is based on the color of the product.
Also, color can enhance brand recall by as much as eighty percent, which is very important for properly established companies that want to capture the market.
Six Colors Proven to Boost Sales (With Psychological Insights and Practical Examples):
➢ 1. Red
What does Red do for sales?
Red is a bossy color which is connected to:
➥ Passion
➥ Power
➥ Determination
➥ Energy, and many others.
It is mainly connected with quickening, with energy and with passion; for these reasons it is used in promotions and during sales.
Red is also a color that will benefit the process of creating impulse buying as it causes certain impulse in the head.
Where can you see it in action?
This is best visualized through clearance sales, fast food joints, and pending ‘BUY NOW’ buttons among others.
A signature red coloration of the coca cola logo equals to happiness and fun.
Red color is used by fast food restaurants such as McDonald’s to increase the customers’ hunger and get them to order faster.
Where should you use it?
Red can be applied in buttons ‘Call to action’, deadlines ‘Limited time only’, fast food outlets and ‘Clearance’ banners. It is exceptionally appropriate for creating or enhancing a signal of urgency and getting its clients to make quick decisions.
➢ 2. Blue
What does blue do for sales?
Blue is one of the colors that might be related to:
➥ Trust
➥ Reliability
➥ Sense of calmness
It is one of the go-to colors among organizations that are interested in creating certain level of trust with their customers like banks, hospitals and tech firms.
Where can you see it in action?
PayPal uses blue to make people feel safe when paying for something; in the same way Facebook and LinkedIn also incorporate the use of blue.
Another area that uses blue all the time is the health sector since it gives a hue of calmness and reliability.
Where should you use it?
Blue is ideal for the companies dealing in financial services, software as a service industries or companies that are in the business of providing customer service.
But it does help create the impression of security and trust which is important especially for businesses where trust plays a significant role when it comes to choosing one service provider over the other.
➢ 3. Green
What does green do for sales?
Green has an inviting quality to it since it associated with:
➥ Nature
➥ Health
➥ Growth.
People often connect it with such values as being environmentally friendly and organic and financial prosperity.
It is also wise to note that green has the ability to provide comfort to the mind which makes it one of the best colors suited for companies in the wellness and health niches
Where can you see it in action?
It can be been in action in the eco-friendly brands. For example, Whole Foods and John Deere chose green to stressing the corresponding connection with nature and the company’s environmental friendliness.
This does not apply anywhere else as well or particular to the finance sector, green is considered a growth indicator.
Where should you use it?
Green fits perfectly in the plans of various companies that belong to the healthcare niche, environmental sphere, and even the sphere of finance.
It is also preferable for use as call-to-action buttons in these industries because, in addition to their steadiness, the typeface inspires positivity.
➢4. Purple
What does purple do for sales?
Purple’s connotation includes:
➥ Luxury
➥ Creativity
➥ Wealth.
It is a color that has a touch of glamour and class and as such, is perfect for use by only brands that are considered premium.
Where can you see it in action?
It is a popular color in beauty and cosmetics businesses and it can be viewed as creativity, luxury, and appreciated by brand such as Urban Decay.
It’s also used by the firms that seek to capture a high end market and be associated with prestige or/and luxury brands.
Where should you use it?
If your business is in the industries like fashion, cosmetics, arts, or any other niche that deals with elegance and luxury, then better opt for Purple.
Purple is highly effective in reaching out to niche customers who value premium, exclusive products.
This color helps communicate that your products or services are class apart, enhancing your brand’s luxury appeal.
➢5. Black
What does black do for sales?
The meaning of black color is:
➥ Elegance
➥ Sophistication
➥ Power of decision
This is usually applied in the advertisement of luxury brands as a way of showing that the products are of high quality and only a few people can afford them. Black is also considered to be a relevant color in the field of technology as it looks rather avant-garde.
Where can you see it in action?
Apple uses its bare, simple and sleek black products to portray features of class, and invention. Black is also frequently used in the fashion industry where it stands for classy and expensive.
Where should you use it?
Black suits those companies that want to convey such attributes as the feeling of the luxurious product, over quality, etc.
It is suitable for such sectors as fashion, IT-production, and others. It also fits well for branding items that cost a lot of money too.
➢6. Orange
What does Orange do for sales?
Orange is an active color that creates desire and excitement in the individuals.
Marketing widely employs it as a way of urging the users to make fast decisions, thus making it perfect for CTA buttons and promotions.
Where can you see it in action?
The color orange is used by Amazon for its “Buy Now” button to touch the psyche of any given customer and make an instant impulse purchase.
Orange is also used on most of the websites that offer discounts to make the consumer take the necessary action.
Where should you use it?
Orange is great to use on promotional banners, on call-to-action buttons, and any other place you’d like the target audience to act as soon as possible.
It is basically a color associated with hurry, rush and getting people to take that first step and do so fast.
Top 10 Colors That Make People Buy:
Besides six basic colors that were mentioned above there are other colors that have an impact on purchasing decision.
Here are Four more colors that you should consider incorporating into your marketing strategy.
➢7. Yellow
What does yellow do for sales?
Yellow is one of the liveliest colors which induces emotions that are associated with:
➥ Pleasure
➥ Hope
➥ Energy
➥ It is very useful in grabbing audience attention
But it can however cause tension in the society if applied frequently.
Where can you see it in action?
Yellow is effectively used by IKEA to produce a feel of a happy place or a happy mood. Retail and entertainment are among the most common domains where onlookers may be drawn in with the help of this specific color.
It can also be used where the major goal is to set a mood which is more on the positive side than negative.
Where should you use it?
This color should be used minimally but often in the logo, on ‘Sale’ signage and any other item that seeks to capture attention.
It’s really good to instill energy and enthusiasm, but again it may be a bit too much if used in large portions.
➢8. Pink
What does pink do for sales?
Pink is often described as:
➥ Cure
➥ Romantic
➥ Feminine color.
It is commonly used in products and services that are targeted toward women or feminine demographics.
The color resonates with industries that aim to evoke a sense of romance, gentleness, or female-oriented appeal.
Where can you see it in action?
Different brands such as Victoria’s Secret associate pink with feminism and romance. Preferably, pink also works well in the beauty and fashion niches or segments.
Where should you use it?
Pink should be used when targeting a female audience, especially in industries such as beauty, fashion or anything related to romance.
➢9. Brown
What does brown do for sales?
Brown is recognized as an earthy and down-to-earth color, which evokes feelings of safety, warmth, and security.
Its associations with reliability and tradition can enhance consumer trust, positively influencing purchase decisions.
Where can you see it in action?
Brown is commonly used in industries associated with outdoor products, home goods, and the furniture industry.
Brands that utilize brown often aim to convey a message of solidarity and dependability, making it a staple in marketing strategies for products that emphasize comfort and stability.
Where should you use it?
Consider using brown in branding and marketing strategies that focus on reliability, warmth, and tradition.
It is ideal for businesses wanting to project an image of a solid, reliable, and stable company.
➢10. White
What does white do for sales?
White is one of the neutral colors which symbolize purity, simplicity and being clean.
This type of typography is mainly applied in minimalist brands and in industries where the clean looking fonts matter.
Where can you see it in action?
White as a color is used by both Apple and Nike and TikTok; the companies that have been symbolizing simplicity and innovation.
White is also common when it comes to hospitals and other areas in the health sector and also in technology.
Where should you use it?
White fits best for minimalistic branding, medical industry services, and if your company reflects a clean, contemporary image. It is rather useful when they try to make some space, some clarity.
How to Select the Right Colors for Your Brand?
Selecting the correct color scheme for your brand may not be easy but with the right approach you will be able to have an appropriate color choice that will complement your brand.
Here’s a step-by-step guide:
1. What is your brand identity?
The colors that are chosen should be in line with the values and mission of your brand. For instance, if your brand is in the luxury niche, then your logo color might be black or purple. But, if your brand is an environmental-friendly one then green will be more appropriate.
2. Who is your target audience?
You should think of age, gender and the culture that the audience belongs to. Members of the younger generation will have more preference towards bright and highly saturated colors as compared to the members of the older generation who would so much prefer dull and low saturation colors.
In the same manner there are instances where men and women may be seen having different tastes in the kind of colors they prefer with men going for darker types of colors as contrasted to the lighter softer types of colors that women usually go for.
3. Competitor analysis
It is important that you have a glimpse at the colors that your competitors are using and then try and find how you can make a difference. However, the use of different colors is yet to be standard, and applying a different scheme will alert one.
4. What emotions do you want to evoke?
Consider the type of user relationship you wish to have with your brand when the customer is making a purchase or using the product at his/her end. Setting the mood to be energizing, happy and playful (red, orange) or more peaceful and secure (blue, green).
5. Test and Refine
It is also necessary to try and to test different colors and to find out more about your audience preferences. Accomplish the goal of identifying the colors that are best for a business’s performance by testing it with different color schemes.
Case Studies of Color in Branding:
Let’s take a look at some real-world examples of how brands have successfully used color to strengthen their branding and boost sales:
➢ Coca-Cola (Red):
Coca- Cola’s color of red is so characteristic now for the brand and it has managed to generate that feeling of happiness. The red color gives energy and passion feeling which fits with the Coca-Cola happy and celebration brand’s message.
➢ Facebook (Blue):
Blue, when used by Facebook is associated with trust, reliability and security. These are some of the critical aspects of a social media platform that people share their personal details. The blue color used performs the function of instilling confidence and trust and makes the users feel comfortable while using the platform.
➢ Whole Foods (Green):
While the public appreciates the traditional symbolism of its colors Whole Foods opted for green to stress its mission of selling organic products for healthy living and a friendly environment. The color green closely relates to brand commitment to health, eco-friendliness and a good nutritional value, which its target market is made up of.
Conclusion
So, in the realm of marketing and branding and associated areas what is found is that color is not a mere graphic design or styling preference – but, a lot more than this is where colors are concerned. Thus, knowing the tendencies of color’s impact on your audience will help you make better decisions to enhance the engagement, brand awareness, and conversion rates.
During creation of branding and marketing plans, do not forget that color combinations should be chosen based on certain patterns and there are some key feelings which reflect the patterns. In other words, color is the key when it comes to achieving excitement, confidence and luxury.
FAQs
Which color is mostly used in persuading buyers?
The color that is most frequently used when the buyer has to be persuaded is red as it has the effects of motivating people to act quickly. You can find it being used in something like clearance sells, special offers for a certain period of time and even buy now buttons.
Red leads to a feeling of urgency, so, can be adopted by organizations that wish to achieve impulse purchases. While other colors such as blue and green also are involved in creating the trust and calling for purchase, red outshines them as far as making quick decisions are concerned.
When should you change your color palette?
Some reasons why your choice of colors may need a change include: a new brand image, change of audience and a new market, among others. Sometimes it can be necessary to modernize the image by changing the color, if your current colors are not relevant to the values of the brand and are not interesting to the target audience.
Also, if competitors are indeed using similar colors, you can switch your palette in order to be easily noticed in the market.
What Is the Best Use for Every Color?
All these different colors have their specific role to direct the viewers in the right way in the matters of marketing.
- Red is the best when it comes to evoking the sense of urgency and action call especially when making a sale.
- Blue creates trust and reliability thus it is suitable for banking, insurance and technological firms.
- Green conveys the message of growth, health as well as being environmentally conscious thus is preferred more by the wellbeing and environmentally conscious brands.
- Purple is good for luxury and creativity thus suitable for products that need to be associated with high status.
- Black symbolizes sophistication and is pretty popular with high-end and tech brands and orange gives energy, so it’s good for CTA buttons.
