By Maria Valdez Haubrich
When we first started our business, we took the mantra “We’re doing business the way we want to do it.” You know, stick it to the man, no one tells us what to do, be your own boss, yadda yadda yadda. One of the first things my partner did was paint her office a bright turquoise blue. And I mean bright! But, you know what? It made her happy. The bright blue gave her energy and reflected her enthusiasm for entrepreneurship. Then we channeled all the enthusiasm and tried to create a website that was bright and friendly, yet indicated our expertise in our field.
Recently, Xerox commissioned a survey that looks at the way people print in the workplace and reactions to color in documents. The survey found that although 25 percent of respondents are not allowed to print in color (with 90 percent citing cost as the reason), 54 percent of people are more likely to read a document or marketing piece if printed in color.
According to Jill Morton, color psychologist and branding expert, color gets noticed. Two colors attract more attention than one, but more than four colors detract from the message. Interestingly, yellow and black together attract more attention than any other color combination and choosing the right (or wrong) color choice for a logo, web site or marketing materials can have a lasting effect on a business, changing the way work gets done and influencing revenue.
To find out more about using color in your documents, visit the Xerox website.
