Choosing the right colours for your business

Colours make up a large portion of what we see everyday and it plays a big role in design which has a direct link to sales and brand awareness. At a minimum colours represent your company, they also serve as a way to market your entire brand. Believe it or not the success of many brands can be accounted to the right use of colours. With a strong combination you will be able to attract customers, differentiate your company and encourage brand loyalty. The question is how do you pick the right colours?

1. Know your target. One of the most important aspects of picking the right colours for your business is knowing your target market. Who exactly are the people that you want to sell to? What age group do they belong to? What are their interests? You need to pick colours that will attract these people. First impressions last and the first few seconds that consumers see your product can make all the difference. The right colours will not only attract them but convince them to buy the product as well.
2. Think about your service. The next thing that you need to know is about your service. What do you have to offer? What are the qualities that you want to reflect? By knowing what you have to offer and what you can give people choosing the right colours will be an easier process. Each colour represents a deeper meaning with and by choosing the right colours you can reassure consumers about its content and give them the confidence they need to buy.
3. Factor in Culture. Although colours have general meanings given to them, this can differ with culture. It is important that you look at the meaning of the colours you choose in line with culture as well. How people will accept the colours that you choose will also depend on the beliefs that they hold. Be sure that you pick colours which are well accepted in your culture and send a positive message. This way any misinterpretations or misrepresentations can be avoided and you will have well accepted colours for your business.
4. Consider the Competition. Knowing your own product and target market is just one step. You also need to make sure that you know your competition very well. What colours do they use? What message do they send with the colours that they use? In some cases it would be a good idea to stay away from the colours that they use. In fact you may want to use colours opposite to these. By doing this you can make your brand stand out. This helps speak to your consumers to pick you over the competitor. Also, it can help you avoid any confusion with which product belongs to which company.