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Marketing: Why Color Choice Matters
Marketing might as well be a four-letter word. I've yet to come across a fellow indie author who doesn't shudder at the mere thought. Unfortunately, it's a necessary evil when it comes to getting our words out there in front of new eyes. I'm all about working smarter, not harder, while also paying close attention to not only what has/does work for me but what I notice regarding other authors. This blog post, it's all about colors and how/why you should use them carefully.
What if I don't have any words out there just yet?
Before the words, the product, and/or service, comes the brand. If you're saying to yourself right now that you don't have a brand, umm...yeah, you do. You may not realize you do, but you do. There is something(s) that comes to mind when people come across your name, work, and content. Granted, that's not always a good thing but I'll save that for another time. For now, let's talk profiles.
Regardless of which social media platforms you choose, profile pics and banners/headers come with the territory. This is where the color choices come into play even before you have a buy link. Think mood and tone. Do you write feel-good sweet romances? Consider pastels in shades of pink or yellow. What about angsty, high-emotion romance? Raises hand! This is why my brand colors include black, white, gray, blue, and purple all in various shades. This tells potential readers that my particular romance novels aren't always an easy ride and that I like a lot of turbulent, stormy times ahead before they get to the last page.
What about when the books start rolling out?
This, for me at least, is the fun part. I chose the color scheme for my books very carefully. For this breakdown, I'll use Hardpressed, which is book 1 in my Ocean Falls Trilogy. For those who haven't read it yet, (WHAT. ARE. YOU. WAITING. FOR?) Hardpressed is a second-chance romance that touches on some heavy subject matters such as betrayal, feelings of abandonment, and resentment, hence the dark undertones, and in this case, black. My favorite touch of color in this book is Purple. Purple not only represents some of the stormy turbulence ahead but also has a very specific place in the story itself. The white represents not only the Friday night lights but also the bright spots, the silver lining, of all they've been through and will continue to go through as they navigate through their story. Also, this color palette is what I use for all marketing material when it comes to this particular book. Maybe it's the background colors, maybe it's the text color or a combination of both. Either way, when I market this book via graphics, I intentionally pull you back to this color palette.
We are a visual species who make mental connections whether we realize it or not. The only time I step outside of this color palette is when I choose to represent a specific scene. For example, for the fruit loops cereal scene, I may use a pic of what else, a bowl of cereal, with text. If you have more than one book to promote, keeping in line with each book's color palette not only makes marketing easier for you, in regards to organization and the ability to use the same background multiple times, but it also plants that visual in the minds of your potential readers AND keeps your Instagram pretty and organized!
In conclusion, make it make sense. Make it aesthetically pleasing. Use colors to represent who you are, what you write, and the overall feel of each book, and extend it to your marketing efforts to maintain the connection with your potential readers!
I hope you found this helpful when it comes to your marketing efforts. Do you have a specific topic you'd like me to cover in next month's blog post? Drop me a line here...
Until next time, happy reading, happy holidays, and be sure to take some time to rest and refuel. See you in 2023!