When drafting emails, you like to do so with your branding at the front of your mind. That’s great because colour psychology is really important! This ensures that your emails are easily recognisable and feel consistent. This is critical for maintaining good relationships with your subscribers well into the future.
But have you considered how your branding, and more specifically, the colours in your branding, may be impacting intent to purchase?
While it’s not something that businesses often think about first when designing their emails, colour psychology is a very real, impactful thing. It can be the make-or-break between mediocre sales and great ones. So, how do you use it to your advantage?
We’ve broken it down below….
What is colour psychology?
Put simply, colour psychology is the impact of advertising on the mind. We have been subconsciously conditioned to understand colours in unique ways. For example, red represents danger, green represents nature and white represents cleanliness. What we don’t always realise is how strongly these reactions to colours can influence our choices. Certain shades can create adverse or avoidant reactions, while others can have a stronger pull on us.
How do you utilise colour psychology in email marketing?
You don’t want to change your entire branding kit to influence great email marketing. What you do want to do is understand how to use your current branding to your advantage. Which colours will allow you to capture attention quickly in email banners? Which ones are attention-grabbing, but not alarming, for buttons? Which ones function well in footers so as not distract your audience?
Once you master email marketing colour hierarchy, you will see an increase in placed order rates, add to carts and engagement. But where do you begin?
Understanding how each colour influences decisions.
Red
Red has long since been associated with energy and urgency. It is a loud colour that demands attention and is great for getting people to look, even when many messages are sent to them at once. It makes this colour great for flash sales, high-impact CTAs and buttons that you desperately want customers to click.
Blue
This colour is known for helping build trust. You will notice it is associated with many service-based businesses, as it helps customers build quick relationships. It’s typically great for use when introducing something new or making educational-based emails, as it helps customers make quick, positive assumptions that can strengthen bonds.
Green
Green is a colour you need to be careful with. It is typically used to promote eco-friendliness. Incorrect use of them can make customers form false assumptions about your products. However, if you do provide products or services that are great for the environment, it's a perfect way to subliminally associate this with your brand, even without the constant reminders.
Orange
Orange is a bit more ambiguous, as it isn’t used as frequently. This means that it can be used in multiple ways. In email marketing, it works strongly with CTA buttons and in images to add confidence, energy or enthusiasm to your content. It can brighten your emails and help keep customer attention for longer.
Yellow
Like orange, the colour yellow is fantastic for brightening up emails. It works well in email when you want to highlight specific areas or draw your customer’s attention to something special. It can break up text and stop customers during ‘skimming.’ It also creates a friendly tone, which can strengthen relationships.
Purple
Purple is typically considered a regal colour, meaning that many customers can associate it with luxury. If you have a premium product or if you’re releasing something that is slightly more expensive, the colour purple can help sell the value and display exclusivity, allowing customers to justify the price point from the onset.
Things to consider
Colour theory is most effective when it is used correctly. Consider vibrant, contrasting colours between buttons and hero banners, attention-drawing colours for headers, and high contrast for readability.
A consistent colour palette with only slight changes from email to email will also allow customers to make long-term associations with your brand.
Need help making colours work for your email marketing? Click here to book a 15-minute consultation.
