Retail Signage and the Psychology of Colors

Retail signage is a visual medium with several jobs to do. One obvious job is to provide information to customers on such things as sale items, product details or special promotions. The other job, a more subtle one, is to drive sales. Signs are a clever form of persuasion, which is a mostly psychological process. Using the psychology of colors, then, is one good way to create persuasive signs.

 

Color has been proven to have a significant influence on people’s thoughts and emotions. Studies have found that different colors invoke specific responses in people. Using that knowledge can help guide business owners when they choose colors for their retail signage. Below is a table the shows the general meanings associated with different colors and how the colors can best b e used in signs.

 

Combing colors based on psychology is not a precise science. Retailers should consider the subtle messages they want to send with the colors they choose to combine. Several approaches can be taken to combining colors in retail signage.

The first approach is called the monochromatic scheme. It incorporates multiple shades of the same base color, such as navy blue with sky blue. This can be a clean look that many customers will find appealing and even soothing, especially in shades of blue or green. Another approach that pleases the eye is called the complementary scheme. This approach to retail signage combines a warm color, such as shades of red, yellow or orange, with a cool color such as shades of blue, green or purple. A combination using this scheme might be blue with orange.  In either of these schemes, or any other combination, white, black and grey serve as neutral colors that can be added without affecting the balance of the scheme.

A final note about combining colors in retail signage is that these suggestions are not set in stone. Retailers can experiment with other combinations they like and see if those are appealing and easy to read. 

  

As a visual medium, retail signage relies on color, text and imagery to get its point across. A major function of store signs is to subtly persuade customers to make purchases when they are in the store. Retailers can take maximum advantage of their signs as persuasive tools by applying the psychology of colors to their signage choices. 

Now that you have the tools for great looking signs don’t overlook, the importance of how those signs are placed in your store.  Using a self leveling retractable signage system will ensure that your signs are hung at the right height and are never crooked or off centered.  Retractable retail signage systems are the safest method of hanging interior signage since it involves no ladders or heavy lifting.

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