The Power of Color
I hope you
had a fabulous, colorful weekend. Fall typically is the time when we notice
the beauty of color on trees, but did you know that the color you wear
affects the impression you make on others all year long?
Color has a lot
of power. While it won’t make up for lack of experience, wearing the right color
can start you off on the right foot with a client. “Your appearance tells more
about you than what you say or how you say it,” declares New York image and
style expert Carol Davidson. “And out of all of the elements of your wardrobe,
color speaks first.”
How much thought goes into what you wear on a
listing appointment? If not much, maybe you should rethink the importance of
your choices. How do you want to be perceived by a client you’re meeting for the
first time? Here are Davidson’s thoughts on making the perfect first
impression:
- Black conveys leadership. It’s a strong color
and highest on the authority scale. If you want to appear to be in charge, black
is a great choice.
- Red is a color of power. Red comes across as
bold and assertive. Use caution when wearing red to meet a client for the first
time. Red can give the impression of being domineering. “There is a fine line
between assertive and aggressive,” Davidson says. “And red is a risky choice.
That said, the feisty quality of this color might be well-suited in
sales.”
- Blue gives the impression of being a team
player in addition to being enterprising, trustworthy, honest and
credible.
- Gray reads as logical and analytical. Rock
solid, wise and reliable. Because gray is a bit more understated, add a red
scarf, yellow shirt or purple tie for a bit of personality.
- White gives the feeling of being organized.
It’s a reassuring color that can convey a feeling of new beginnings,
impartiality, cleanliness and purity.
- Green promotes a sense of calm and well-being
as well as wealth and prosperity.
- Yellow signifies optimism and
creativity.
- Purple says creativity. It sends a message of
being artistic and unique.
- Brown says you are simple and slow to change.
Comforting and reliable.
- Orange topped the list as the worst color to
wear. It’s the color most likely to be associated with someone who is
unprofessional.
No matter which
color you choose to wear, Davidson says you also should consider its tone. “All
colors can be scaled from authoritative to approachable,” she says. Dark colors
are perceived as formal and authoritative, while light colors make the wearer
appear more friendly and approachable. Bright colors convey confidence, while
muted colors are conservative and less threatening.
And contrasting
colors can send a message, too. “The higher the degree of contrast – wearing
black and white or navy and white, for example – the more powerful you will
appear," Davidson says. “The lower the degree of contrast, the more approachable
and friendly you seem.”
Something to Think
About
Whether it’s color or style, we work in a people business, and
the way you dress does give “an impression.” What impression do you want to
project?
Weekly Challenge
Intentionally wear
specific colors on your appointments for the next few weeks, based on the
feeling you want to project. Note whether you see or feel a difference with your
clients.
Words of Wisdom
“I’m in love with red. I
think it’s such a passionate color. Every flag of every country pretty much has
red in it. It’s power, there’s no fence-sitting with red. Either you love it or
you don’t. I think it’s blood and strength and life. I do love red. I love all
colors. Great shades of blue, you find them in nature. They’re all magic.” –
Bryan Batt
“Your attitude is like a box of crayons that color your
world. Constantly color your picture gray, and your picture will always be
bleak. Try adding some bright colors to the picture by including humor, and your
picture begins to lighten up.” – Allen Klein
“Red is such an interesting
color to correlate with emotion, because it’s on both ends of the spectrum. On
one end you have happiness, falling in love, infatuation with someone, passion,
all that. On the other end, you’ve got obsession, jealousy, danger, fear, anger
and frustration.” – Taylor Swift
“Creativity is just connecting things.
When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty
because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to
them after a while. That’s because they were able to connect experiences they’ve
had and synthesize new things.” – Steve Jobs
“Creativity involves
breaking out of established patterns in order to look at things in a different
way.” – Edward de Bono
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