How colors can influence your direct mail campaign to distressed homeowners

If you are using direct mail, the fashion police won’t come looking for you if don’t choose the right color for your next mail out. But your clients may not either.

Colors aren’t as clear cut as words, but there is a meaning for most. Although it’s not an exact science, Cynthia Cornell, a color researcher with Color Communications Inc, says hues can influence the outcome of a direct mail campaign. It’s important, then, to be conscious of the message you want to convey to the recipients of your mail piece. It’s no coincidence that Campbell’s soup has used the same four colors on their labels year after year after year.

I’ve seen a lot of people using the color blue when marketing to distressed homeowners, because it conveys calm, trust and dignity. A majority of people will report blue as their favorite color. Much of the world is blue – blue skies, blue seas. Seeing this color, in fact, produces a chemical that is calming, but that’s not true with all shades of blue. Some shades has the tendency of conveying a cold, uncaring message. Why are so many bedrooms blue? Because it’s a calm, resting color. Why are so many uniforms blue? Because over time, blue has been associated with steadfastness, dependability, wisdom and loyalty. People tend to be more productive in a blue room because they are calm and focused on the task at hand. In fact, nearly all sports are enhanced in blue surroundings.

I’ve also seen black when mailing out to distressed homeowners because it invokes strong emotions. Black conveys seriousness, power, stability and strength and the ability for high contrasts. It has the ability to create drama, as captured by this postcard that depicts a troubled girl:

At www.preforeclosuredata.net, we provide early, accurate and exclusive pre foreclosure data for real estate professionals. To bounce some ideas around and get a count of distressed homeowners in your area, call 607-785-8158.