5 Ways Color Impacts Direct Response

Whether you're marketing a product or service, online or offline color at some point will have an impact on your brand's direct response rates. Today's consumers are gravitating more towards color given the increase in marketing messages, platforms and the hyper distracted culture we live in. A quick scan is all you get these days.

Color has the ability to engage and position your brand for increased control over marketing messages and key copy points. Depending on the scenario color can be more powerful than words. Consider that colors have preset associations and basic meanings to consumers such as red = danger and blue = trust, simple but powerful stuff.

1 - It's a way finder. A consumer looks for cues when opening a mail package or email. Utilize color to direct them through the process and work in unison with your print, digital or multi-channel campaigns.

2 - It sets the mood.  Setting the tone for your appeal is something that goes awry in the creative process. Color should work together with your copy points to complete the overall "look and feel" of the communication.

3 - It's your highlighter. Think Benefits. Benefits. Benefits. What you're selling might need some extra punch to convince your prospect its right for them and ultimately delivers value. Leverage color to highlight your product or service key benefits. It's all about them and don't let them forget it.

4 - It's your brand. Let's say you just changed your corporate color to green — should your mail or email campaign be dominated by your freshly unveiled corporate colors? This is perhaps one of the biggest questions and conflicts when it comes to direct marketing. Let the objectives of the campaign or test concept guide the color treatment and not the brand guideline standards themselves.

5 - It's your call to action.  If you really want your prospect to "RESPOND TODAY" then simply highlight your message, coupon or reply mechanism with a large splash of color.  This might have the most impact on your response rate especially if your offer is widely known and available.

While color is a very small component of a direct mail package or digital campaign it can be utilized as a key testing concept. If you're a consumer brand or service look to market leaders in color driven categories such as automotive, footwear and apparel for up to date trends to help you stay relevant with your prospects and customers.

The content in this blog post is from "The Creative Lead", Dog Food Design's e-newsletter. To learn more or subscribe click here.