COLOURS: AN IMPORTANT TOOL IN PERCEPTION MANAGEMENT

COLOURS AND THEIR EFFECT ON THE HUMAN PSYCHE AS A TOOL IN PERCEPTION MANAGEMENT

Colour, it’s everywhere but funny thing is, we are rarely aware of the effect they have on us as humans.  From making us calm to making us feel agitated down to building trust and reassurance, colours produce a variety of emotions in us that when properly understood and effectively utilized, would make a lot of difference in our lives. For instance, countless studies have shown the sublime effect which the colour red has on the human psyche. As a matter of fact, it has been proven that men consider a woman in a red dress to be more attractive.  Various examples of the subtle use of colour to influence abound. For example, the colour red is used to denote danger or to inspire action because red makes us agitated, bankers often wear navy blue because navy blue inspires trust and reliability, fast food centres often add a touch of orange because orange stimulates appetite and conversation……..the list goes on.

 Let’s look at it from another perspective.  We all admire most celebrities who always look good every time they step out and oftentimes we fail to realise the amount of effort that goes into making them look as fantastic as they often do. Well, I can tell you that one of the reasons why they look as good as they do is because they or their stylists understand how to use colour to the best of their advantage, amongst other things that contribute to developing a stylish image. That’s why they often look more interesting, more confident, more in control and of course more attractive.

So, the question now becomes: how do we make colours work for us?

 First, understand where you belong in the grand scheme of the four basic colour seasons that we human beings belong to (of course, if you are not a human being, this is definitely not for you). The procedure is called Colour Analysis (which we would talk about in a later post) but basically we humans fall into to four basic categories: Autumn, Winter, Summer and Spring. The essence is to find your most flattering colours and also to know the colours you should definitely stay away from.

 Next, you need to decide what you want to achieve? Would you like to appear more attractive, more fascinating, more in control?  More specifically, are you looking for ways to improve your odds in making sales as a business person? Or would you generally like to command more attention?

Third, understand the industry you work in, what colours are allowed in your workplace. The conservative nature of most professions like the banking and legal professions might place certain restrictions on the use of colour but that shouldn’t stop you. As a banker or lawyer, you can always find ways to introduce a bit of colour to your dressing( ties, belt, pocket squares or handkerchiefs, if you prefer etc)  These are few steps that would get you started on your journey towards becoming a totally packaged individual…tomorrow, we look at styling! Have a great day fam and pls don’t forget to share! Let’s spread the word!