Guest Mentor: Utilising colour to help your business stand out.

Let's be honest. You may be thinking 'what does colour have to do with HR and leadership?' It's more than you think! From a human psychology perspective, the colours you choose for both your internal and external brand will impact your customer and employee experience. How do they support your brand values? How do they underpin the impact of your messaging? How do they influence behaviour?

Lisa-Marie Vecchio from Lisa Dot Design is a Brisbane-based graphic designer and muralist. Her work is absolutely INCREDIBLE and has captured the hearts of over 15,000 Instagram followers (at date of publication). She is an expert and a leader in her field.

Let's hear from Lisa.

There’s something to be said about how colour impacts the human psyche.

Whether we’re gushing over a double rainbow appearing in the sky, choosing a bright outfit for a pick-me-up or even dragging ourselves out of bed early just to witness a sunrise - it’s no secret that many folks are drawn to vibrant hues.

So how do we capture colour’s mood-boosting benefits and implement them into business marketing? It truly seems easier said than done. As a graphic designer, I see this hurdle come up frequently for small biz owners.

The number one statement I hear is: “Lisa, I’m feeling lost when it comes to picking colours. I have enough on my plate that’s keeping me busy anyway, so I just keep putting it off.” And yes, I somewhat agree. A colour palette isn’t *quite* essential and it definitely doesn’t hold the same urgency as what driving sales, creating copywriting or paying taxes do, however, it still plays a very integral part.

There is a close connection between colours, emotions, and sales.

Insights extracted from expert studies prove this. The emotional responses encourage customers to buy goods and services that a business offers. It can also entice customers to visit your business, which opens opportunities for sales. In this post-Covid era we’re living in, the amount of small businesses that are launching is on the rise. Teamed up with the fact that humans are constantly absorbing a steady stream of content through social media, it’s more important than ever to visually stand out from the crowd.

Three areas you can utilise colour to help your business stand out:

In your business’ branding.

Your business’ identity visually communicates what you offer at a glance. Nonverbal communication through your branding is essential for building trust and establishing your authority with your consumers. So in saying that, what is your business currently saying to its audience? If you haven’t considered it yet, start placing time aside regularly to daydream and do your research. Knowing what colours and how much to use (or not use) can make or break your visuals. It truly is a fine line between drawing a customer in with the warm and fuzzies and giving them eye strain because there’s too much colour going on! Forming a Pinterest board of colour schemes that work is a great start to get those creative cogs turning.

In your external marketing.

So once you’ve got you a stunning colour palette sorted, it’s time to spread the love! Start featuring your colours anywhere your customers may find you - from product packaging, business cards, marketing emails, pitch decks, social media templates. Even wall murals for shop fronts and offices are becoming more popular with their visual impact, not to mention the positive engagement it draws in on social media and in person. Let’s face it, who doesn’t love a good Instagram photo op in front of a colourful work of art?

In your workplace environment.

Whether you’re a sole trader working from a home office or running a company full of employees, taking the time to create the ideal environment to work in can form a wonderful influence on productivity. So what kind of impact do you wish to produce in your work space? Are you looking to bring a calm and soothing atmosphere, or an uplifting and energising one?

Here’s a short list of what colours evoke positive emotions:

Red: Passionate, aggressive, important

Orange: Playful, energetic, youthful

Yellow: Happy, warm, friendly

Green: Natural, stable, prosperous

Blue: Serene, trustworthy, inviting

Purple: Luxurious, mysterious, romantic

Pink: Feminine, young, innocent

Brown: Earthy, sturdy, rustic

Black: Powerful, sophisticated, edgy

White: Clean, virtuous, healthy

Grey & Beige: Neutral, formal, calming

Next step is to gather some colour swatches and test them out in your space and seeing how it affects the work and environment - finding a harmonious balance is key. From murals to furnishings and decor, right down to technology and stationary, you can choose how much or little your favourite hues are featured.

If you’re thinking about injecting some more vibrancy into your brand but feeling a bit overwhelmed on where to start, just reach out for a chat! If you’re spending time, effort and energy into building a business you love, it’s worth placing thought behind a strong visual representation to spark connection and trust with your audience.

Words by Lisa-Marie Vecchio.

Lisa-Marie is a Brisbane-based graphic designer and muralist, illustrating art that encourages and uplifts. Her designs are recognised as colourfully eye-catching, created with the intention of communicating hope, joy and empowerment.

You can find her at www.lisadotdesign.com and on Instagram at lisadotdesign.