Color is a highly personal experience-everyone has favorite
colors, and other colors that they absolutely don’t like.
So, how do you determine which colors that will work for
your business identity, and that will send the right
message to your potential clients.
We have developed several methods and approaches for
determining successful color palettes. For your corporate
identity, you should choose colors that:
• Have a positive meaning in your industry-Think about
things that you come into contact with in your industry or
emotions that are very positive in your industry, and
choose colors that associate with those accordingly. For
example, red is a great color for a flower company, since
it is the color of roses, but it is a poor color choice for
a health care professional, because of the association with
blood. Contact us to inquire about color significance for
your industry.
• Reflect the emotion of the experience your clients have
when working with you. If you have a high-energy business,
consider using bright, clear colors. If your services are
more complex, consider choosing “complex” colors, like sage
green, slate blue, maroon, or another muted tone that
speaks of the intricacies of your work.
• You like-You live with this logo and look at it often,
so pick colors that excite you. Also, colors you like tend
to have commonalities with your personality, so your color
palette will begin to speak to your potential clients about
who you are and the way you work.
• You wear-Especially if you are a consultant or a sole
proprietor, use your personal color palette for your
business as well. That way, what you wear will reinforce
your brand and will be a constant, subtle reminder of your
business to people you meet. Or, if you’re running a larger
business, include uniforms for employees that mirror your
logo design.
• Match or complement each other-Eye-catching color
palettes that are made up of colors that match or
complement each other will be more pleasant for your
customers to look at.
• Contrast each other-You will save money if you use a
limited color palette (one or two colors) in your printed
materials, so choose colors for your logo that contrast
each other. That way, you can design your materials in just
a few colors, but they’ll still be legible and eye-catching.
If you use these guidelines, you will be able to devise a
strong color palette for your business to use both online
and in your printed corporate communications. Your color
palette is an important aspect of your brand identity, as
it contributes to your visibility, credibility, and
memorability.
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Erin Ferree is a brand identity and marketing design
strategist who creates big visibility for small businesses.
Through her customized marketing and brand identity
packages, Erin helps her clients discover their brand
differentiators, then designs logos, business cards, and
other marketing materials and websites to reflect that
differentiation, as well as to increase credibility and
memorability. http://www.elf-design.com
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