1. White Red Black Yellow Blue Green
Here’s a crash-course covering what I consider to be the six most important colors, what they represent, and the best ways to use them in SHOWING your idea.
The first two, Black & White, are not actually colors, but they are still the most important.
Any visuals you produce should reproduce well in Black & White for quick photocopying, faxing, and any decision makers who may be color-blind.
Blue
Green

2. “Safe” Colors White Black Blue
White, Black, and Blue are considered safe colors.
Blue

3. White Purity Cleanliness Simplicity
WHITE represents purity, cleanliness, and simplicity.

4. Purity Cleanliness Simplicity
For example, brides wear White to convey purity.

5. Purity Cleanliness Simplicity
Hospitals use a lot of white to reinforce cleanliness and sterility.

6. Purity Cleanliness Simplicity
Apple computer uses White to convey simplicity.

7. Purity Cleanliness Simplicity
White is the background of our word processors, and most web pages, simulating paper.
Traditional text is almost always Black on a white background.
As a background, it’s more about the empty “White spaces” than filling with content.
Nine times out of 10, you’ll choose a White background to SHOW your idea.

8. Black Elegance Sophistication Mystery
BLACK is the absence of color and represents elegance, sophistication, and mystery.

9. Elegance Sophistication Mystery
Black as a background can be very strong as it sets a formal tone and makes other colors appear brighter.

10. Blue Honesty Trust Stability
BLUE represents honesty, trust, and stability. Blue is primary color of choice for corporations around the world.

11. Honesty
Trust
Stability
To this day, IBM is known as “Big Blue.”

12. Honesty Trust Stability
Blue is common color for uniformed paramedics, firemen, and police.

13. Honesty Trust Stability
Blue suggests precision and intellect and it’s no wonder that American Express named their new cash rewards card, “Blue.”
Blue is a considered a safe color – use it for accents and sometimes in place of Black.

14. “Safe” Colors White Black Blue
So there are your safe colors, White, Black, and Blue.
Blue

15. “Persuasion” Colors Red Yellow Green
The next set of colors, Green, Yellow, and Red, are persuasion colors…
Green

16. “Persuasion” Colors Red Yellow Green
…and their meanings are best related to a traffic signal, “Stop – Caution – and GO!
Green

17. Red Danger Power Passion
RED (my favorite color) represents danger, power, and passion.

18. Danger
Power
Passion
In a traffic signal, it means, “stop”

19. Danger
Power
Passion
… and on signs it means “danger.”

20. Danger
Power
Passion
Red is the color of fire trucks, emergency lights, and fire.

21. $$$ Danger Power Passion
In accounting, Red means negative or losing money – a bad thing in business.
Red is generally a negative color, associated with downward/backward movement…

22. SALE! Danger Power Passion BUY NOW!
but can be effectively used to stimulate or draw attention, as in “sale” or “buy now.” Use Red sparingly and carefully.

23. Yellow Alertness Energy Happiness
YELLOW represents alertness, energy, and happiness.

24. Alertness
Energy
Happiness
In a traffic signal, it means, “slow down.”

25. Alertness
Energy
Happiness
On signs it means, “caution.”

26. Alertness
Energy
Happiness
Taxicabs are yellow to get your attention.

27. Alertness Energy Happiness
Yellow is cheerful and optimistic – highlight your gold nuggets with yellow!

28. Green Growth Health Environment
GREEN represents growth, health, and the environment.

29. Growth
Health
Environment
In a traffic signal, it means “go!”

30. $$$ Growth Health Environment
In accounting, Green means positive cash flow, so Green means money – especially in U.S. dollars.
Green is generally a positive color and is usually associated with upward/forward movement.

31. Growth Health Environment As well as nature and the environment.
Highlight your gold nuggets with green!

32. Pure Danger Elegant Alert Honest Growth
Add in, what are my colors saying?
And since you made it this far, I’ll give you the best tip of them all…
Honest
Growth