The Marketing Psychology Behind Your Brand’s Color

Many times, when people are starting a business, they ask for help with a marketing plan.  More often than not, the first thing they want is a logo.  And a lot of times, they come to us with one already sketched out or done themselves.  While we applaud the initiative, sometimes what they have designed could actually be a hindrance to their business.  You see, there is a marketing psychology behind every great brand.  The color, font, look and feel of your logo, website and promotional materials should be derived from research that explains the consumer’s brain pattern.

Color psychology is important to understand and utilize in your marketing efforts, especially because neuroscience says humans may be hardwired for certain shades.

As strategic marketing professionals, we like to understand what compels people to buy, so that we can help our customers maximize their marketing efforts.  The number one goal of branding and marketing is to get noticed.  The second is to get people engaged.  The final is to get people to buy.  Doing it ‘right’ the first time will help expedite the process from point A to point B.

Research shows that colors, branding, and tying them together create an opportunity for consumers to recognize your business or brand quickly. After all, the goal of your branding attempts and marketing efforts is to create a company reputation easily remembered with a quick glance at a logo.

Colors should be chosen to represent your brand very carefully.  After all, many researchers took a lot of time to study and spell out what color schemes, etc. work best for your industry.  Companies use this branding research to target particular markets and give a certain impression to their consumers.

Why color?

This is a question that’s not as easily answered as asked. Color relates to persuasion, because it evokes an emotional response. Persuasion is a marketer’s friend.

Color theory represents a unique opportunity to research the consumer’s decision-making process, as well as what marketing professionals can do to sway those decisions in their favor. In essence, it’s a sort of manipulation you want to be able to get away with. Research shows there are a lot of ways color theory affects consumer habits, and how marketing professionals can use it.

Utilizing color is an effective way to play on someone’s personal experiences.

Did you know that 90% of snap judgments made about products, brands, or businesses can be based on color alone? There are a variety of things that factor into the perception of color from a consumer’s point of view. Their age, culture, socioeconomic status, location, job, experience, family status, and the landscape of their industry all factor into the way they view color, or what color evokes in them.

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Companies use color to elicit emotional responses like increased appetite or an enhanced mood. Some take it a step further, using color theory to soothe customers, reduce the perception of a lengthy wait, and other various situations where an emotional response may occur.

Choosing where to use color, aside from logos, is also important. There are a variety of locations to choose from, including merchandise, web design, and calls-to-action.

Fortune 500 companies know a little something about effective branding, especially when it comes to the utilization of color theory.

Most people prefer color patterns with similar hues, which explains why more than 80% of Fortune 500 companies have two or fewer colors incorporated into their logo.

Plenty of notable, popular logos belong to these big companies, because they know the value of a strong brand identity. Which, often times, they base off color theory. For example, red is an appetite enhancer and it is present in the golden arches of McDonald’s logo.  

There are three steps to figuring out what colors to use in your branding attempts. You have to start by understanding your brand personality in order to choose the right colors. If you’re a green, eco-friendly company, you won’t want to create a logo with red, a color associated with boldness, fire, and excitability. The next point of business is to take your brand personality, and match it with certain hues using color theory. As a third and final step to utilizing color theory in your company branding, learn which colors convey what to readers.

THEN develop your story.

Your logo, as well as the rest of your marketing materials, is the first impression on a customer. Because of this, you need to hone the message you’re trying to tell your customers about your brand through your logo. Your brand message matters, and it has an effect on the opinions of your customers - past, present, and future.

If you need help developing your brand and choosing your color scheme, contact the experts at SK Consulting.  From Concept.  To Creation. To Implementation.  We’re there with you every step of the way!

Give Back. Get Noticed.

Every business, no matter how big or small, should have a marketing plan. And if you don’t have one, or are not even sure how to start one, contact an expert in the field.  It’s a competitive world out there, especially for small businesses and generating local revenue can be exceptionally important. Word-of-mouth can be an important source of business referrals, but sometimes your business marketing plan needs to go the extra mile.

That’s where community involvement comes into play.  But, don’t just say you’re going to get involved.  TRULY get involved.  People will notice when you make a promise and don’t follow through.

Becoming involved in your local community, or in causes that impact your potential customer base can be a good way to generate “impressions” on members of your community. For years, small businesses have partnered with other organizations to both meet a need and promote their business.  When you are truly engaged in the community organization you support, prospective customers will remember you and your business as the caring one that supported XYZ.

For example, sponsoring a local youth sports team or a local animal shelter are time-honored ways for small business professionals to make a name in their communities. Similarly, sponsoring local events and making charitable donations are also good opportunities to put your business name out there and help you gain advantage over your competitors.

In any given year, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to support local charities and events, but how can you be sure that you’re getting the most bang for your philanthropic buck? The secret to successful business marketing through community involvement is choosing your involvement carefully.

The most natural community involvement choices are those that reflect your target market. An orthodontist sponsoring a youth soccer team or the local recreation department is one example of a “natural fit.” The youth participants in the activity are part of the practitioner’s target market, and when they need orthodontic work, they might have to look no farther than the patch on their favorite soccer jersey to find someone they can trust.

Another natural fit may be sponsorship of a charitable event hosted by a major client. In this case, your business may be donating products or services that fill a need of the event, but you can gain valuable exposure to other businesses that are affiliated with the client-host. Along with that, you may also receive some very positive recommendations.

When deciding what organizations or philanthropic event to support or sponsor, assess the benefit.  How many people are expected to attend?  Are there media partners?  Do they have a social media following?  How will they promote you?  Your goal is to not only give back to the community but to raise awareness of your products and/or services.

If the above types of community involvement don’t suit your business, consider other ways to give. Donating a portion of your proceeds to a particular charity or cause may be the way to go for businesses like restaurants. This allows you to draw in new customers who may want to support the charity, but have never done business with you in the past. By supporting their favorite cause, you give them a reason to check out your business!

If you’re not sure how to start becoming more involved in your community, consider joining your local Chamber of Commerce or Rotary Club. You’ll meet many other business owners who are actively involved in both their communities and their businesses. You may also find many new opportunities to meet the needs of your community while promoting your business at the same time. 

If you want to get involved but are unsure how to get started, contact the experts at SK Consulting!

Attention Small Business Owners! You CAN Compete with the Big Fish!

With tight budgets and limited time, small businesses often struggle to stand out against the competition. But with a little innovation and elbow grease, a small business can improve their visibility and remind consumers why they should be chosen over the larger fish in the pond.  The following business marketing ideas can help make your business one to remember.

Get Involved at a Local Level

One of the best budget-conscious marketing ideas is to look at ways to increase your involvement in the community. It can be through volunteering, hosting a networking event, or sponsoring a fundraiser. This kind of community involvement proves to be invaluable for a multitude of reasons.

In addition to the obvious benefit of increased brand awareness, these activities can also produce valuable connections that might never been created. More important? More community involvement and interaction increases the likelihood of local websites and social media sites mentioning your business.  This provides Google with valuable signals to help boost your business’ appearance in the coveted Google local search results, ultimately helping you gain more potential customers.

Repurpose Your Content

Recycle and repurpose content to increase ROI. Recycle content by updating a popular post. For example, take one of your most popular posts from last year, update that article with new, relevant information and republish it.

You can also repurpose by posting the same content in different formats. For instance, take an article and create a podcast using the same information. Recycling and repurposing content stretches ROI.

Make Sure your Website is Current

Does your website look like it hasn’t received an update in decades? Make sure your site is using the most current technology.   There are many platforms available to make your website stand out and that are easy to use on the back end.  If you need help designing and providing content for your website, contact the experts at SK Consulting.  Websites don’t have to be difficult to be effective.  If you don’t have an updated website (or a website at all), people will take notice – and not in a good way.  After all, you don’t want to spend so much effort driving people to your website if it sucks.

Be Strategic, Realistic, and Consistent With Your Organic Search Marketing 

Using a blog on your website for content marketing is a cost-effective business exercise. Also, you do not have to be a magician to rank highly for keywords on Google that will deliver sales. Perform a detailed keyword analysis of your competitors and write content for long tail keywords that have less competition to start with. Even when competing with players with larger marketing budgets, it is possible to build up organic visitors to your website over time. Know your message and understand what you want to be known for.

Tell People You Can’t Help Them

Remember, not everyone is your customer.  No matter what you’re working on or offering, you can’t help everyone. No product or service is perfect for every person and every situation.

Instead of hiding flaws or issues, be open and transparent about them, so when you talk about the benefits of your business, people will believe you. And the funny side effect is that you’re likely to turn those who are not a good fit with your business into your advocates.

Write a Mini-eBook

If you have a fresh, controversial, or unique solution to a problem in your industry…write a book! Advances in digital publishing have made it possible for just about anyone to write a book. As a product or service provider, you can use your book as a key piece of your publicity strategy. Launch your book, and your brand goes with it!

Encourage Customers to Review Your Business

Increase positive customer reviews! A 2016 BrightLocal study revealed that 84 percent of consumers trust online reviews just as much as personal recommendations, and 74 percent say that positive reviews make them trust a business more.

Remember, negative reviews can severely damage a brand’s reputation. Consumers are more inclined to share bad experiences than good ones. That’s why it’s important for brands to be proactive about getting positive reviews. If you provide great service, the ask shouldn’t be a hard one to make.

In fact, according to data from that same study, 7 out of 10 consumers will leave a review if asked to do so. In addition to improving your brand’s online reputation, businesses with a higher number of positive reviews may also rank higher in search results.

Find Your Niche

Focus on a specific niche within your industry. For small businesses, it can be challenging to compete with larger companies that are established and have access to more resources. One marketing strategy for differentiating your business is to carve out a small niche of customers.

Rather than market your product or service to everyone, narrow your target down to a limited segment of customers. As your business and brand grows over time, then you can look for opportunities to expand your customer base.

Re-think Mobile

Mobile is becoming more and more popular not only for searching the web, but also for making purchases. With mobile payments increasing, consider other mobile purchasing trends, like buy buttons. These tools are increasing as customers are feeling more comfortable purchasing on mobile devices. This means that purchases might be made more directly through websites and social platforms like Facebook. Utilize mobile marketing to ensure that you are giving your customers every opportunity to purchase. Adapt to their needs.

Blog with a Purpose

Show your customers that you are relevant!  Don’t just write a blog to write a blog or to sell, sell, sell.  The biggest mistake small businesses make is when they create content to try and sell instead of help. Write content that actually adds value to your readers. Don’t worry about giving away any secrets you may think you have, just focus on helping your audience. Every time you write something before publishing it just read it and ask yourself: “is this helpful?” Keep blogging.  Be consistent.  Inbound marketing is a long-term commitment with a huge payoff.

Ideas?

These are some pretty great small business marketing ideas, if we do say so ourselves. And there are plenty more.  How do you effectively and efficiently market your small business?  If you don’t, contact us today!  We’d be happy to help you take over the pond and enter the ocean!