4 simple tips to confidently choose your brand colours

Brand colours are an essential element of a strong brand identity for your small business and a handy shortcut to create consistent content across all aspects of your online and offline presence. Put some time aside to nail this at the start. It will pay off and help you build a recognizable and attractive brand.

Colour choices can make a big impact on consumer perception and brand recognition. It’s why mega-brands, such as, Google, Facebook, and McDonald’s, spend millions of dollars perfecting that perfect shade. We often don’t notice the changes consciously, but rigorous testing means that the corporations know what to use and how it influences us.

While no small business pours that much time or money into testing and adjustments, your choice of brand colour can and will make a difference.

The Psychology of Colours

As you know, different colours evoke specific emotions that are generally similar across the country. When you choose your brand colours, you should lean into this, although not at the risk of clashing with other elements that are core to your brand.

Here are some examples:

• Coca-Cola uses red in its logo and packaging to create a sense of energy, excitement, and passion.
• Facebook incorporates blue in its logo and interface as it is often associated with trust, reliability, and professionalism, which aligns with Facebook’s goal of creating a safe and trustworthy online platform.
• McDonald’s uses a colour combination of red and yellow in its logo and restaurant design. Red stimulates appetite and creates a sense of urgency, while yellow evokes happiness and optimism. This powerful combination attracts attention and creates excitement for consumption.

Know Your Brand’s Personality and Values

Of course, your business is unique. Small businesses have more personality, nuance and potential to showcase their individuality. You can incorporate aspects of your business’s personality into your brand colour choices.

Start by thinking of your business as a person. If you’re a solopreneur, this is relatively simple, as your business is an extension of you. Even if you are a small team, you can think about the core values and communication tone that you have or would like to have if you’re just getting started.

Is your business playful? Serious? Peaceful? Vibrant?

Break it down into traits, then think about the colours you associate with them.

Consider Your Target Audience

How you see your business and how your audience sees your business should align, so think about what they are looking for in your branding, too. If you are marketing to middle-aged men, it doesn’t matter how much you are vibrant and feminine, they are unlikely to love a hot pink brand palette!

Think about the demographics of your audience, both now and who you would like to be your customers. Are they young? If so, think bright colours. Are they traditional? Monochrome could work well. Are they predominantly male or female? How can you incorporate this into your thinking?

If you’re not sure what your audience likes, ask them! Polling your audience on their preferred colour or colour scheme helps them feel included in your decision-making, bringing them closer to your brand.

Maintain Consistency Across Platforms

Marketing thrives on consistency. Once you have locked in your brand colours, use them across all platforms. That’s not to say you can never change it again (that’s what a brand refresh is for!), but keeping it consistent everywhere people will find your brand will help them know they are in the right place.

We recommend creating a brand moodboard, even if you are a solopreneur, that is an easily accessible record of your font choices, brand colour palette and some related imagery to convey the feel of the business.

A moodboard for Atlantic Event Decor created by our Designer.

This document will serve as a reference tool for you and your team as your business grows.

Choose with Confidence and Have Fun!

Your brand colours should make you smile. They should capture your business at its essence and feel right to you and your team. Embrace the power of colour to build a strong brand, and know that as a small business, you have the freedom to choose. Your brand will inevitably evolve (and that’s a great thing!), but choosing something you love right now will ensure a level of futureproofing.

If you’re feeling inspired, we’d love you to let us know. If you’re still feeling overwhelmed, however, let’s chat. Our team will help you drill down to your business’s core values and create a moodboard for you that you can use moving forward.

Cyber PR Army Solutions Inc. Digital Marketing Made Easy.