Did you know that 92.6% of people surveyed report that color is the number 1 factor influencing their buying decisions? Sure, you’ve heard your product packaging is important. But did you realize your packaging includes everything from the color palette of your website to the paint selection of your brick-and-mortar store?

That’s right; even the commercial painting choices you make will affect your bottom line. So, how do you choose?

Don’t worry. If you’re stumped like most business owners, we’ve simplified the process for you. Below you’ll find the Cliff Notes version of color psychology and how it pertains to small businesses.

So, when you’re ready to slap up a few coats of paint and skyrocket your conversion rates, read on.

Exterior Commercial Painting

The best colors for office and retail stores have one thing in common. They’re eye-catching. Your paint colors must draw the eye of potential customers but avoid garish color combinations.

Start with your logo and signage. If you’ve owned your business for more than a year, you’ve likely already established a brand. That includes your logo and color palette.

If you haven’t created a logo and palette for your brand, it’s time to start. The use of color in your logo and packaging increases your brand recognition by up to 80%.

Use your logo on your storefront signs and window dressing. Then find an appropriate commercial exterior powder painting palette that compliments or accents your sign. Focus on light colors in the direct vicinity of your sign to make it pop.

Good choices are white or neutral colors, such as light beige or light grey.

Then pick one or two dark colors from your logo. Use them on your trim and other accent points to make your building stand out.

Interior Commercial Painting

Limit your commercial interior painting choices to those that will increase your sales. That’s especially true in and around your products and cash register. Certain colors, like fire engine red, will dramatically improve your conversion rates.

That’s the reason the big, red “Buy Now” button has become ubiquitous on eCommerce sites. You can use this same strategy in brick and mortar stores. Include a deep, rich red in any place your customers will make their purchase decisions.

Don’t forget to use other tools, like the color wheel, color association tables, and even commercial painting tips from professionals. They’ll ensure that your color combinations generate not only conversions but also style. Try not to use more than five different colors.

Of those, only one should pop. 2 or 3 should be neutral. The last should be a dark color and compliment the color that pops.

Think About Your Customers

Your business paint colors aren’t meant for you. They’re for your customers. The goal is to use colors that motivate customers to make a purchase.

So, don’t make your color palette decisions based on your own tastes. Instead, create at least seven different color palettes based on customer data. Then, you can choose your favorite from among them.

Consider Your Competitor’s Colors

Research your competitors. That philosophy holds true whether you’re building a new prototype or designing a new logo. You must understand where your products and your business fit within your industry.

If you’re a small business, look at your bigger competitors. They’ve already performed their market analysis. They’ve built their customer personas and performed their AB testing.

And guess what. It is one test on which you can cheat off your neighbor. In fact, it’s advisable.

Look at the logos your competitors created. What colors did they choose? If the majority chose the same color(s), you can bet they conducted research that backs their decision.

What about their stores? Which paints did they choose? Would those combinations work in your store?

Understanding the Color Wheel

A color wheel is a tool used by artists to create aesthetically pleasing color combinations. For you, it’ll be a quick reference to determine the best colors for business decor and wall paint.

Generally, colors that fall on the opposite sides of the wheel are harmonious and a good match.

Primary colors: Red, yellow, and blue.

Secondary colors: Green, orange, and purple. They’re considered secondary because you must mix two primary colors to create them.

Tertiary colors: All other colors. They’re a blend of one primary and one secondary color.

To ensure harmony between colors, designers and marketers usually rely on the following principles.

Complimentary: Pair colors from the opposite sides of the wheel.

Analog: Combine colors that neighbor one another on the wheel, such as yellow and orange, or blue and purple.

Triadic: Choose three colors evenly distributed around the wheel.

The Psychology of Colors in Marketing

As any marketing expert will tell you, emotions sell. In other words, your customers make their buying decisions not based on logic, but emotion. Fortunately, this handy-dandy color association survey will help you generate the right emotions to get your customers in a buyer’s frame of mind.

Red: bold, youthful, excitement

Orange: confidence, cheerful, friendly

Yellow: warmth, clarity, optimism

Blue: strength, trust, dependable

Green: Health, growth, peace

Purple: wise, imaginative, creative

White: neutral, calm, balance

You’ll notice we only included primary and secondary colors. Choose 1-2 to make your palette pop. Then add neutral colors to fill out the rest of your palette.

Trust: blue, white, green

Security: blue, black, green

Speed: red

Inexpensive/cheap: yellow, orange

High quality: Black, blue

Keep in mind. This is all about what you want your customers to feel. For instance, if you own a bank, you may want your customers to trust their money will be safe in your hands. That’s why you choose blue.

If you owned an art school, on the other hand, you might choose purple. It engenders a sense of creativity. You get the idea.

What’s Next?

Now that you understand the importance of your commercial painting color choices, it’s time to take action. First, analyze your logo and brand colors. Then analyze the color association survey and pick one color that pops, one that accents, and 2-3 neutral colors.

If you found this information helpful, don’t forget to browse our huge library of other business and marketing articles. So long and good luck!