What prompts a consumer to choose one product over another? Many factors are at play, including conscious decision-making about features, specs, and price. But some subconscious factors, too, affect consumer purchasing patterns, including using color in product packaging and marketing.
This isn’t just some idle theory. Science has confirmed that the use of color really does influence consumer purchasing behaviors, as colors have built-in psychological implications. Marketers and website designers have picked up on this, choosing color schemes not just for aesthetic purposes but also to help subtly guide and influence buyers.
Human Psyche Dictates a Successful Marketing Strategy
Naturally, this has significant implications for print on demand sellers. Learning about color psychology is highly beneficial as you consider the best ways to present your print on demand products to the world. Here are just a few of the basics.
The Psychology of Primary Colors
To begin with, let’s take a look at some of the psychological implications—including sales and marketing ramifications—of primary colors.
The Color Psychology of...
Blue
Blue is generally regarded as a color that instills trust. It’s the color that brands use when they want to convey a sense of reliability or security.
Think about the website for your health insurance company or bank; there’s a decent chance that blue features prominently.
Blue is a great option when your primary goal is to help consumers feel confident about buying your product or choosing your service.
Red
Red is often regarded as a very “physical” color. It can raise your blood pressure and stimulate your heart rate.
Psychologists also say that red can stimulate appetite, which is why it’s commonly employed to brand eating establishments.
Finally, this supremely vibrant color conveys a sense of urgency, which leads many retailers to choose it for their flash sales and other limited-time promotions.
When wielded appropriately, red can be a powerful tool in any marketer’s toolbox.
Yellow
Yellow is the color of sunshine, and as such, it’s often considered to be the color of happiness. It’s the color marketers use to communicate laid-back, relaxed vibes and a generally upbeat attitude. As such, you’ll see it inside restaurants and fast-food places, where it’s essential to maintain a sense of good cheer. It’s often paired with red, creating a kind of “urgent cheerfulness”—a notion that, by making a purchase right away, consumers can immediately tap into some happiness of their own.
Other Colors
Of course, there’s more to the color spectrum than just these three primary colors.
We won’t get into every single hue, but we did provide some additional insights:
- Black is considered to be authoritative and no-nonsense.
- Green is the color associated with growth and environmental causes.
- Orange is often regarded as youthful and bold.
Speaking of growth and going green...
The Limits of Color Psychology
Knowing color psychology can be helpful for marketers everywhere and for print on demand sellers in particular.
However, simply employing the right color scheme will not be enough to change consumer behavior. It’s not a cheat code or a magic wand.
Instead, psychologists say that the real secret is in ensuring a color that aligns with the brand itself.
In other words, you can’t just slap blue onto a product perceived as unreliable and hope consumers suddenly change their impressions.
The proper color psychology can significantly impact how buyers think, but only when they perceive no discrepancy between the colors and the brand itself.
Enhance Your Print on Demand Marketing
No detail is too small when effectively marketing your custom products or your print on demand store.
Even rethinking your use of color may help you boost revenue or improve brand perception.
We’d love to tell you more about achieving print on demand success or answer any questions you may have about print on demand fulfillment.
Start a conversation by contacting the Gooten print on demand team today.
