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Jill, a financial advisor, presented a 401k plan to a large group. A smart dresser, she was well aware of appropriate business attire and style. During her presentation, the CEO and others seemed uneasy. The CEO fidgeted and seemed to have trouble listening. The prospect didn’t buy. In fact, he didn’t even come close.
Little did Jill know that her black suit may have had a depressing effect. The unconscious association made by the prospect was “Black means death means poor value means bad deal.” Does this seem far-fetched? Consider that London’s suicide bridge was named Black Friars. When the black bridge was painted a green hue, suicides dropped by over 33 percent.
Do you think color has an affect on you and your prospective client’s behavior? The newest research indicates that your prospect may buy more quickly, or not at all, due to the influence of the color of your walls, your website and even the clothes you wear.
Does it seem that red cars go faster than brown ones? I recently spoke to a convention of Porsche dealers in Canada. They told me their most popular color was red. More red Porsches are sold than any other car color. If you were selecting a truck based on durability, reliability and power, would you choose yellow or black? General Motors Corporation reports that their top-selling pick-up truck colors are black and dark brown.
The ability of color to persuade has long been a focal point of research. In the late 1970s, researchers from the University of California at Berkeley conducted a study within the California prison system. Prison guards were asked to curl dumbbell weights. The subjects did as many repetitions as possible.
One guard did an amazing twenty-eight curls without stopping. The same guard was then directed to do more curls while looking at a one square foot blue poster board. Even though fatigue set in, he was still able to better his initial score by one, doing a total of twenty-nine curls while viewing blue.
For the final test, the same guard was again to curl while viewing pink. He went from 28 curls with no color, 29 curls with blue, all the way down to 5 while looking at pink. Strength, in this case, was depreciated by viewing the color pink during the exercises. Unlike blue, pink has a weakening effect. It causes the release of nor-epinephrine, a chemical that inhibits activity of hormones contributing to aggressive behavior.
Hayden Frye, coach of the University of Iowa Hawkeyes football team, didn’t lose a home game in over seven years. His home locker room was painted blue. The visiting locker room was pink. The California prison system is now installing pink rooms called “sedation cells” for the unruly. When a prisoner becomes overly aggressive, the guards move them to one of those relaxing pink cells for thirty minutes. Prison officials report a rapid decrease in both hostility and violence.
The color of money
Typically, the more affluent your client, the more attracted they are to muted tones. The less affluent are more favorable to brighter colors. Studies indicate there are three particular colors that test best for comfort and persuasiveness with affluent prospects or those who earn at least $200,000 a year.
The first is blue. It is the most formal color in the spectrum. It is the favorite of both males and females in America. It is highly attractive to those individuals making large purchases. It is also the IBM Corporation’s nickname, “Big Blue.” IBM did years of research to determine which color would have the greatest impact on those spending millions of dollars on computer systems.
The next color is dove gray. It is quickly associated with high net worth. It is symbolic of intelligence and quick decision making. Dove gray is the color most likely to attract high net worth clients. The Sharper Image Corporation, which sells unique gadgets like overpriced toothbrushes for $500, uses this color extensively in their catalogs. I was in Honolulu recently and noticed their store was decorated in this color from floor to ceiling. When I asked the manager if the color helped sell merchandise, she said in the month after they had changed to the gray decor, sales increased by 25 percent.
The third best color is Hunter green. It is the most soothing color to people around the world. We associate it with currency, revenue, income, and profits. Color can work in two ways to influence you: psychologically and physiologically. Green influences in both ways. Do you feel more relaxed walking through a forest in the summer?
Biology, culture, status and more influence color responses
Our response to color is governed by age and gender. It is also affected by socio-economic status, religion, climate, and racial background. For example, certain clients may be influenced by dramatically varied colors. Low economic or lower middle-class prospects may respond best to colors in their purest form. They may enjoy strong reds, hot oranges, bright blues, and vivid greens. They may not appreciate delicate tones as readily as more affluent prospects.
Some social researchers have conjectured that the less affluent may live in relatively drab, blighted surroundings. The vivid colors they find attractive probably add vibrancy to their lives. Middle class prospects may enjoy a broader range of colors. They are attracted to color blends created by mixtures such as a bright red with brown to form a shade of maroon.
Color influences us in two ways: what we associate it with and how it impacts us physiologically. In Western culture, we may associate red to danger, injury or even a demand for attention. For example, red stop signs may be associated with the color of blood. The physiological impact of color is displayed in the cribs of newborns. In one study, when pink mobiles were installed, babies calmed much faster.
Do you use graphics or flip charts during presentations? One colleague, Linda Woods, a California color researcher, suggests that white graphics or flip charts causes a kind of snow blindness. Extra light constricts the eye pupil, which also fatigues the ocular muscles. Instead, you might consider using green slides, for example.
Horticulturists know that colored fluorescent lights will increase a plant’s growth rate. Research on rats led biologists to determine that the color of the environment can influence the sex of offspring.
Trigger colors
A color that seems to draw attention everywhere is vivid red. In research with racing horses, stables were painted red-orange or blue. In the blue sections, the horses quieted down much more rapidly. In the red-orange sections, horses remained hot and restless. Consequently, many more flies were found in these red stables. In experiments on monitoring heart rate, red was shown to have an accelerating effect. Blue and green slowed vital signs.
While red is a useful attention-getter, it may indicate danger, stop, warning, blood, murder and violence. It may be wise to underline an idea on paper in red to gain attention, but counterproductive to color an ad or brochure in red. It’s okay to use red lettering or wear a red tie, but never red brochures or red packaging unless you're wrapping up a Porsche.
Just as there are three “positive” colors, there are also three “negative” hues. The worst of these is black. Although it is currently a formal color, it is closely attuned to mortality in Western culture. This dark color is often associated with nightmares and impending doom. Don’t ever wear black when you sell unless you are an undertaker. Journalist Nicholas Daniloff was psychologically tortured by the KGB during his two-week interrogation at Moscow’s Lefortovo prison. His cell was painted black to induce depression, making the reporter more malleable to his interrogators. Black will depress you within forty-five seconds. Avoid black on websites, in wall décor and even for business cards.
The second worst color is purple. On the one hand, it has historically denoted royalty and grandeur in Western European cultures. Both kings and queens wore it. However, this color is often associated with sickness and vomiting. It is culturally linked to illness. When a Japanese Kabuki dancer wears a headband with this color, the audience knows the character is extremely ill. In the United States military, a purple heart medal represents being wounded in active combat. If you are Catholic, you would recognize this color draped over the cross during Lent as a sign of mourning.
The third worst color for your business is yellow. This color stimulates anxiety more than any other. It is the most irritating hue to the retina for those over fifty years of age according to researcher Faber Birren. It is also can increase blood pressure within thirty seconds. It was once the recommended necktie shade by the Wall Street Journal. Interestingly, both males and females seem to dislike yellow-green intensely. You may use a yellow legal pad in front of your clients when taking notes. Since it may adversely affect them, why not use a green, blue or gray pad instead? Judging from the length of time your client spends looking at your note pad, it could influence his decisions.
Appetizing hues
Color can even help you lose weight. Italian restaurants decorate their tablecloths and napkins in red to get you to eat more. Do you ever overeat pasta? This color also will increase your metabolism rate. Similarly, the Holsum Bread Company found that sales soared when they changed wrappers to red-orange, an “edible” color. If you are on a diet, don’t let anyone put red in front of you.
The color most likely to decrease appetite is blue. An eatery’s owner may paint their business blue because it’s their favorite color, unaware that they’re also depressing patrons’ appetites. Have you noticed even blue decorations on the table may depress your appetite? A nutritionist friend determined that those who need to diet should eat meals while looking at blue.
If you select appropriate colors that are most appealing to your target market, you’ll have an influential edge over your uninformed competitors.
Dr. Kerry Johnson is a frequent speaker at financial conferences around the world. He speaks on topics like, “How to Read Your Clients Mind” and “How to Increase Your Sales By 80% in 8 Weeks.” He is the author of 17 books including, “Mastering the Game” and “Why Smart People Make Dumb Mistakes with their Money.” His company, Peak Performance Coaching promises to increase your sales by 80 percent in eight weeks. To learn more and get a free video on the three best and worst colors to use in your practice, call 714-368-3650. You and Dr. Johnson will spend 10 minutes talking about your goals this year. Or visit his web site at www.KerryJohnson.com.
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Advisor Perspectives welcomes guest contributions. The views presented here do not necessarily represent those of Advisor Perspectives.
