Symbolizing magic and mystery, the color purple is the color of good judgment. People seeking spiritual fulfillment or who surround themselves with purple will have peace of mind. It’s also a good color used in meditation and in some cultures, signify royalty.

I can’t remember when I didn’t love purple. I recently found an autograph book from my elementary graduation. Favorite color? I wrote purple.

Since I love purple, why wouldn’t I use it in branding my business? Some people give me the curious eye when they see it. Purple computer bag, purple ink pens, purple business envelopes …  purple, purple, purple. Believe me, when I leave a meeting or conference – people will know I was there because of the purple I left behind! Now, I don’t overdo it (at least I don’t think I do). I try to keep it simple but it’s enough for people to remember.

Your logo color scheme and even the colors in your website plays a significant role in branding your business identity.

Some of the basic color attributions and their meanings used in the U.S. are:

• White – Pure. Clean. Youthful. It’s a neutral color that can imply purity in fashion and sterilization in the medical profession.
• Black – Power. Elegant. Secretive. The color black can target your high-end market or be used in youth marketing to add mystery to your image.
• Brown – Reliability. Stability. Friendship. The color brown is also associated with items that are natural or organic.
• Red – Passion. Excitement. Danger. Red is the color of attention, causing the blood pressure and heart rate to rise. Use red to inject excitement into your brand.
• Orange – Vibrant. Energy. Play. Add some fun to your company if you want to create a playful environment for your customers.
• Yellow – Happy. Warm. Alert. Yellow can be an attractor for your business with a relaxed feeling.
• Green – Natural. Healthy. Plentiful. To create a calming effect or growth image choose green. Go green go.
• Purple – Royalty. Wise. Celebration. Maybe add some purple tones to your look for your premium service business.
• Blue – Loyal. Peaceful. Trustworthy. Blue is the most popular and neutral color on a global scale.

Keep in mind that certain color combinations hold a specific meaning to different cultures and even holidays. For example, orange and black is associated with Halloween and red and green are associated with Christmas.

If you want varying degrees of a color, for example a lighter shade of green or a darker shade of blue, ask your graphic designer to show you some color code combinations. Color palettes are a great way to select your branding colors.

And, once you finalize your colors – keep them. You don’t want to change often or even yearly. It will take a while for people to “recognize” you by your color(s) and once they do – you don’t want to change it.

So, go ahead, pick your favorite color(s). Just make sure it is symbolic of your company and the image you want to project.