So you know the importance of your brand color palette, but do you know how to actually pick your brand colors?

A brand color palette is one of the first interactions your audience and customers have with your business. It sends a message about who you are, what you stand for, and what you have to offer.

Really? All of that from a color palette?

Yup! While your color palette most definitely is not everything about your brand, it is a huge element of who you’re attracting, how you’re showing up, and how you’re communicating your brand’s personality.

If you’re ready to start choosing your brand colors, take the free Brand Season Quiz here to get started!

In this post, I’m sharing 4 tips to pick your brand colors to effectively attract your ideal customers.

(Big hint: it’s not choosing your favorites 😉 ). 

How to Choose Your Brand Color Palette

1. Establish Your Brand Strategy

Before you even begin to think about how to pick your brand colors, you want to get super clear on your brand strategy.

“Brand Strategy” shows up a lot, but essentially it is your long-term, sustainable plan for your brand to show up with consistent, clear communication that speaks directly to your ideal customer and allows you to reach your business goals.

I like to think of your brand strategy as the soil of your business. It is your foundation. It is your internal roadmap. 

Your brand design, on the other hand, is like the fruit of your business. It grows out of your brand strategy and is the outward facing communicator of your brand – like your brand ambassador.

Once you get crystal clear on your brand strategy, then you can get clear on the color palette that will powerfully communicate your brand’s mission and values with the world.

2. Establish Your Brand Season

At Prints & Plants, we take a lot of our design inspiration from nature. What this means is that when we develop your brand strategy, we also give your brand a season to direct the vibe, personality, and aesthetic of your business.

You can get an overview of brand seasons in this blog post.

Your brand season is a key determining factor of your color palette. 

For example, a summer brand will have softer, pastel colors. A spring brand on the other hand will have bright, vibrant colors. 

Each communicates a specific feeling, and yes, strategy for your biz to show up confidently and consistently in the world.

Ready to discover your brand season? Take the free quiz here.

3. Consider How You Want Your Customers to Feel

This step ties directly to establishing your brand’s strategy and season.

One huge factor in choosing your color palette is recognizing that with each color choice you are communicating a feeling to your potential customers.

Ask yourself, “How do I want my customers to feel when they interact with my brand?”

Joyful? Calm? Energized?

Reference your brand strategy to answer this question, and let your answers inform your color choices.

4. Research Color Psychology

When you are considering how to pick your brand colors, you’ll first want to consider the emotions each color conveys.

See, one of the coolest aspects about color is that every color inherently carries specific feelings.

Typically, when a group of people looks at the color red they will have similar feelings of passion, intensity, and strength.

Alternatively, if that same group of people all look at the color blue, they’d experience similar feelings of calm, melancholy, or serenity.

Knowing the specific feelings colors convey will help you determine how to pick your brand colors to clearly communicate who you are and how you show up as a business.

If you’re ready to work with a designer to bring your brand’s color palette to life, I’d love to work together. I’m booking brand projects and only take on a limited number each month.

You can book your spot on the calendar by filling out my contact form here.