This post by Ramon Ray originally appeared on the Xerox Small Business Blog, but its color message should be of interest to anyone involved in creating documents that resonate. Use this information as you work with your own clients to make their print communications more effective.
In today’s world, with technology of all sorts at our fingertips, along with a plethora of programs and resources, it should be no surprise that the use of color in business documents is growing. What may be surprising is that the use of color has been shown to increase the success of a business when used appropriately in documents, on websites, or even through basic branding.
Monochromatic businesses are a thing of the past. Adding the vibrancy of color to your business can boost your success several times over. Even when I dress, you’ll see hints of orange, green, purple and more peeking out from my socks, ties, and shirts! In honor of National Color Day, Oct 22, here are a few things you should know.
Color Grabs Attention
It should go without saying that color will stand out amongst a sea of black and white. Anything that is highlighted in color will grab the attention of the viewer over the rest of the print. Keep this in mind as you build your websites, forms, and brand. Using bright colors will draw the eye to your business.
The use of color is also known to keep a certain level of positivity in the viewer’s mind. This will be useful in ensuring your business is leaves a positive impression with potential clients.
Color Emphasizes Area
Using color in your branding can allow you to place emphasis on the most pertinent information you want to be absorbed by your viewers. If you are information heavy in a blog, invoice, or website, keeping the take-home points highlighted in a color different from the rest of the text will ensure that these points are recognized by the viewer.
The more a specific area stands out to a viewer, the greater the chance that they will remember that information. If this information is memorable, there is a greater chance a viewer will come back to revisit the information again, refer the information to others, and thus increase the traffic on your site or blog. Should this be the case, your business will gain exposure and will have a greater potential for growth and success.
Color Can Promote Sales
Brand recognition can go a long way in boosting product sales. The use of color within your logo can keep the brand in the back of the customer’s mind, making it quick to find when the customer sets out in search of your product. Think of the brands you recognize the most. They all have distinct colors they are recognized by. When branding yourself, you can become like those big box brands– you will be remembered based on the color and logo you promote.
In addition to keeping your brand recognizable, color can be used within your site to boost the sales of particular products. Promoting the most popular products by highlighting them on your website in a bright color allows them to stand out, increasing the likelihood that viewers will pause and look at them more closely. This then increases the chances that the viewers will purchase the item, thus promoting sales.
Color Increases Efficiency
The use of color enables clients or potential customers to quickly find things as they browse through your website or blog. Assigning important sections or phrases within your webpage as bright colors will help your viewer see those points, and will likely decrease the questions they have as they go. If all of the information is monochromatic within your site, the important details could get lost or bypassed because they don’t stand out.
Ultimately, it is important to keep in mind that color is a useful tool to help grow your business. Keep in mind that it should be used strategically, with a purpose for it to keep documents readable and to remain aesthetically pleasing. Too much of a good thing can become muddled and confusing, so take great care in how you use color in your business branding. Too bright can be distracting, too many colors can be confusing, and too much color can negate the effect you are aiming for.
Plan accordingly to the needs of your business. Know what products you need to incorporate colors into, what style and materials you are using, and what all will be needs for any printing or publishing purposes. A well thought out plan will keep your color scheme and use professional and efficient for your business and your pocketbook.
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