Business Card Color Theory

Everyone has a favourite colour or two and each colour reminds us of different places and things. Some colours make us feel relaxed and some make us feel happy, and each one triggers subliminal thoughts and feelings in each of us. You may see two candy shops right next to each other on the high street offering the same products at the same prices, yet you find yourself drawn to one in particular. Why do you think this is? Often the initial feelings that a shop or its colours invoke in us may inspire us to choose one over the other. Candies and sweets are often associated with bright yellows and oranges, which make us, feel light-hearted and happy. If the neighbouring candy shop was painted in black, it may be harder to conjure up images of lemon fizz, sherbet and sweet smelling treats. Colours play an important role in projecting thoughts to our unconscious minds, and will therefore play a vital role in the choices that we make on a regular basis.
Although we often prefer some colours over others and we often have a distinct favourite; the colours that we like are typically associated with different things. You may like to wear bright clothes because they may make you feel happy, or you may prefer to wear black because it makes you feel sophisticated. We may like different shades of the same colour and associate each one with a different thing or feeling. More often than not however, many of the most common colours will conjure up similar feelings in most of us.
The colour black for example is often appropriate for elegant or sexual things. If you have a formal party, the business cards may be printed in a bold black colour to signify the sophistication of the do and the need to dress up. Business cards or invites to a children’s birthday party on the other hand may be addressed in a bright colour, such as yellow, purple or green. Orange is a vibrant colour and is often associated with play and fun.
Business cards designed using attractive colour schemes are bound to draw the eyes of a potential customer. Depending on where you are in the world however, may influence your choice of colour. White is often portrayed as a pure and sterile colour and may be great in western cultures to promote wedding dresses and parties. On the other hand the use of a white colour when dealing with eastern cultures may have the opposite effect, so you will need to understand what colours portray in different environments.
A typically safe colour to use is blue, which many of us associate with the expansive sky and is therefore neutral. Blue is often used for serious businesses such as law firms for it inspires a feeling of loyalty and trust in the customers. Blue can signify a variety of things, including honesty, stability, clarity, knowledge and truth. Another colour that may be good for potential clients to make them feel important is purple. Purple is often associated with royalty and may be used at airport lounges and the like to make people feel rewarded for their loyalty. Purple inspires feelings of luxury, dignity, spirituality and power.
If you want people to feel happy then yellow is often a joyful colour. This colour makes people feel relaxed and will inspire confidence in you and your business. If you want noticeable business cards for a play group or nursery, bright colours such as orange would be popular. The colour orange makes people feel playful and energetic and will attract parents who will automatically think that your business will be fun for their child. The colour red is often used to portray passion and excitement. If you want something to be noticed quickly then red is a colour that sticks out. Consider the Stop sign that you see everyday on your way to work, and see how the colour automatically draws your eyes to it and makes you take notice. Would it do this if it were in blue or green?
Colours are more important than you may think, and is one of the initial things that people will notice in their subconscious minds. Colours are one of the first things that people will take notice of and one of the first things that will inspire distinct feelings and impressions. The colour of your business cards; whether it is the paper or the print design, can work out to your advantage and may influence the choices of potential customers. We have all heard of subliminal messages provoking people’s thoughts and emotions; well why not work it to your advantage and give colours a chance?