The Psychology of Color in MarketingWritten by June Campbell
Market researchers have had a field day identifying colors and likely effect they have upon us. However, effects of color differ among different cultures, so attitudes and preferences of your target audience should be a consideration when you plan your design of any promotional materials. For example, white is color of death in Chinese culture, but purple represents death in Brazil. Yellow is sacred to Chinese, but signified sadness in Greece and jealousy in France. In North America, green is typically associated with jealousy. People from tropical countries respond most favorably to warm colors, people from northern climates prefer cooler colors.Basically, in North American mainstream culture, following qualities are associated with color: Red excitement, strength, sex, passion, speed, danger.
| | Making a Great ImpressionWritten by Josh Barinstein
Making a great first impression is undoubtedly a good thing. But did you know that it can take many impressions--seven is a favorite number--before our brains actually respond favorably to an attractive deal? This makes sense, given need for human beings to feel comfortable and at ease with anything new, but it is often overlooked in marketing efforts! Too many times, marketing campaigns will fail to give target audience enough time to adjust, enough time for individual to put aside her fears and finally say: "I'm going for it."So what constitutes a great impression? Impressions come in many shapes and forms, such as materials on your company, a "we're moving" card, a hello email, a FAXed testimonial, a special yearly gift, a holiday card, and so much more. Choose these wisely and mix them up, to keep prospectives and existing clients interested (yes, existing clients need reminders too that you're out there ready when they need you). A very effective impression is a mailer. Not just any mailer, but one that sends out a powerful message, one that elicits a response from reader. Keep these key things in mind when you work on your next Print piece: * Your mailer needs both to inform and to prompt audience to take action. For example, sending out a "we've moved" card and including a coupon for 10% off next purchase or project. Or, sending a holiday card for Thanksgiving and providing space for listing people to whom to give thanks. In both cases, you get your audience to participate and, in doing so, make a contribution to them. * You need a headline that grabs and copy that flows. To come up with a strong headline, focus on purpose of mailer, on main message you are trying to convey. Is it to thank receiver? Is it to announce a change at your company? Is it to invite them to participate in some event?
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