So why are colors so important in branding?
First, they are memorable. Think about the kind of milk you buy – what color is the cap? If the supermarket suddenly switched whole milk to green and 1% to red, they’d have some pretty frustrated customers the next morning at breakfast.
Since your brand is an extension of you, it’s important to create a palette that matches your style and personality. But choosing colors just because they’re pretty isn’t the best approach because they may not resonate with your clients. You need to find a balance between what’s you, and what speaks to your clients! And hopefully they’re similar since your personality will shine through your brand, no matter how hard you try to force it in another direction!
Here are some tips on building a powerful palette:
1. Consider your personality
Are you soft spoken and approachable with an easy-going style? Try less saturated tones and maybe muted pastels. If you’re naturally loud and sassy, you’ll want to use bold, bright colors! If you’re pretty free-spirited and enjoy organic products, hues of nature might suit you well. Or perhaps you’re always the life of the party and happy, bright tones will work best for you.
2. Spy on your ideal clients
Look up websites or Instagram accounts of your current and/or ideal clients and see what colors they use. People are always more attracted to things that are similar to them, so they’ll most likely be drawn to colors that are similar to theirs. You don’t have to stick to these exact colors, but you also don’t want to use neons when your clients seem to prefer pastels.
3. Don’t use too many or too few colors
If you only have two brand colors, it may be hard to keep your brand looking consistent in Instagram or on your website. Choosing an array of colors allows for more flexibility when posting, finding images and taking brand photos. On the other hand, choosing too many colors can make you look cluttered or confusing. It will be hard for people to recognize your brand when you have so many different options of colors.
4. Make sure to have varying shades – some dark, some light
I’ve seen so many people asking for feedback on their color palette by using a line of color squares. While it’s great to see them lined up next to one another, it’s not always the best way to visualize your palette! Try placing your colors together in context, such as an infographic or layering text on a background – your lightest over your darkest. Make sure there’s enough contrast and that your colors flow well in a realistic graphic setting.
