In our last post we discussed layout, if you missed it go check it out now. We now turn our focus to the next section with color and images. These are important choices in direct mail marketing design.

Now let’s look at the second section: Color and Images

Color, imagery and texture can greatly enhance the mail piece experience. Sometimes picking colors and images can be a challenge as well. How do you know what colors to choose? How should you pick the right images?

Here are 8 colors and some of the meanings behind them:

1. Red: commands attention, alerts us, creates sense of urgency, risk, danger and aggressiveness
2. Yellow: sunshine hue, spiritual color, represents warning, happiness, warmth, bright shades can be irritable to the eye in large quantities, often used to highlight or draw attention
3. Green: money, nature, environmental concerns, freedom, healing and tranquility, is calming, refreshing, easy on the eyes
4. Blue: suggests fiscal responsibility, inspires confidence, darker shades are authoritative, dark and bright shades represent trust, security, dignity, paler shades imply freshness and cleanliness
5. Orange: warmth, instills sense of fun and excitement, implies health, cheer, makes product seem more affordable
6. White: associated with innocence, purity, peace and contentment, considered clean and sterile, cool and refreshing, can have a calming, stabilizing influence
7. Black: ultimate power color, suggests strength, authority, boldness, seriousness, stability and elegance, distinguished and classic, too much can be ominous
8. Brown: associated with nature and the earth, associated with warmth and coziness, suggests richness, politeness, helpfulness and effectiveness, solid, credible

Now that you have a basic idea of what the colors can mean, sit down and decide which colors and combinations are going to add impact to your design. We discussed the layout in section one, feel free to review that again by clicking here. After picking your colors you need to decide on your images. Carefully consider your message as you approach direct mail marketing design. The images you choose should not conflict with your message or your brand. Make sure to show the images to people outside the organization to see if they make the same associations you do.

Here are 5 things to consider when selecting images:

1. Do not use images of just the product. Include people and real settings for a more realistic and connected approach.
2. Match the emotional tone of the design to the emotion conveyed in the image.
3. Images should not conflict with your color scheme.
4. Select images that convey your message so that you can use less text.
5. Include your logo. You need to always reaffirm the brand by using the logo.

So by making color and image choices that complement each other you are on your way to a great mail piece. When conflicts arise between different elements in the design of direct mail marketing it can be a confusing message for the recipient. This ultimately means you mail is going in the trash and you wasted your money. Clear and concise elements that work together for your message are the key to getting an increase in your ROI. In our next post we will discuss copy.

If you have questions or need help contact us today. We are glad to help!

The Chamber of Commerce created a free guide for small business owners: Definitive Guide to Color Psychology in Marketing