Pack Extra Meaning into Your Message with Strategic Color Combinations

Of all the elements of design, color is probably the most challenging to understand. 

Color originates from a light source that is viewed directly or seen as reflected light. While colors can be displayed in spectrums, prisms, or contrasts, the power of colors is not only in their arrangement, but in the way we perceive them.

Want to add depth to your message? The colors you choose can add an extra layer of meaning.

Colors Prompt a Specific Response

According to Sally Augustin from Psychology Today, research shows that particular colors can prompt measurable responses.

Here are the impacts of five particular colors, and how you can use them to your advantage:

Green

Seeing the color green has been linked to more creative thinking—so greens are good options for pieces featuring innovation, creativity, artistic specialties, or proactive growth.

Red

People featured in front of red backgrounds are generally seen as more attractive when silhouetted against other colors, so reds are great for photo backdrops, booklet covers, headshots, and more.

Having a red surface in view also gives people a burst of strength, so reds are good choices for concepts related to fitness, acceleration, competition, and courage.

Violet

People tend to link greyish violet with sophistication, so these hues can be a good selection for places where you’re trying to make a stylish impression.

Try subtle violet/grey hues in designs for home apparel, personal products, product labels, and more.

Yellow 

Yellow is associated with joy, happiness, optimism, and energy.

This color stimulates mental activity and generates muscle energy. Yellows are great for stimulating appetite, implying freshness, or for conveying warmth. Yellow also screams for attention, so you can use it to grab interest. Avoid overdoing it by adding yellow in contrast with another color.

Blue

Did you know that people are more likely to tell you that blue is their favorite color than any other shade?

Blue is a great choice for design, especially with so many shades to choose from! Nature-themed blues can call forth feelings of calmness or serenity, and are perfect for striking a tranquil tone. Turquoise or royal blues can project stability and reliability, which is strategic for brands that want to communicate productivity or security.

One caution about blue: it is not very appetizing. In the world of cuisine, humans are geared toward avoiding blue as it is often a sign of poison or spoilage. Some weight loss plans even recommend eating your food off a blue plate to squelch hunger!

Color Your Communication

Color is a powerful communication tool and can be used to signal action, sway emotions, and even influence physiological reactions. 

The right use of colors can play an important role in conveying information, creating moods, and influencing the decisions people make. Be strategic and add extra meaning to your message with dynamic, powerful color combinations.

Prepare for Your Next Breakthrough by Prioritizing Self-Care

There are many seasons in life.

Some are exhilarating, others exhausting. Some bring immense growth, and others deplete you.

Just as there are seasons in nature, there is continual change in our daily lives. Many of us were caught off guard by the coronavirus, and our questions about the future can be more depleting than the uncertainty of this day.

But wisdom takes the long view, and that means prioritizing personal health so you can endure and thrive tomorrow.

From Crisis to Recovery

As you move from a season of chaos to a season of recovery, self-care is one of the most important things you can do. What might this look like? Here is a checklist to consider:

Set a Routine and Prioritize Consistency

Since so many things are out of whack, daily routines are more important than ever.

Create expectations for yourself and your family by involving them in daily cleaning, cooking, recreation, or school responsibilities. Make room for relaxing and fun activities, and build quiet space into your calendar. Posting a new weekly schedule for everyone can make life feel more fun, productive, and stable.

Spend Time Outside

Enjoy the outdoors every day, whether it’s a walk around your yard or sitting under an umbrella on your front steps.

The outdoors will refresh you. Even opening the windows can bring an invigorating breeze and a gush of energy.

Cultivate Joy

A lot of what we hear and see these days is scary and troubling, and there is power as we move in the opposite spirit.

Whether it’s a YouTube video or a hopeful song, find one thing each day that makes you smile, laugh, or feel good. To double the impact, share your positivity with others. A joy shared is multiplied!

Reach Out

Perhaps the last few months have left you so frazzled you haven’t made time for others.

Isolation is very dangerous, increasing your risk of mortality, prompting quicker cognitive decline, and inflating your pessimism about the future. People need people, and sometimes YOU need to be the one who makes the first move. Reach out to others through emails, video-conferencing, a driveway coffee date, or a long walk.

Control What You Can

While it is natural to worry about the future, anxiety can carry you away.

When uncertainty tempts you to fret, counteract that by concentrating on what IS in your control. Can you deep-clean your storage room, re-arrange furniture, or start a wood-working project? Bringing order to chaos is a wonderful antidote to stormy emotions.

Help Others

Research shows that helping others is a great way to help yourself.

When recovering from a season of stress, one of the best ways to recover is by lifting others up too. Can you donate money, supplies, or time to a non-profit? Deliver groceries or a “favorite” pampering item to someone who isn’t expecting it?

When you are stressed or afraid, one of the most powerful things you can do is to find someone who is worse off than you and serve them.

This Too Shall Pass

COVID-19 has prompted a season of isolation and stress like many have never known.

It is scary to think of living like this forever, but remind yourself that it WILL end, even if it takes a long time to rebalance. Just like seasons pass each year, this time of testing will pass as well.

There is no “right way” to take care of yourself, but it crucial that you do it!

5 Tips for a Successful Video Conference

Generation Z is the demographic cohort born between the mid-to-late 1990s and around 2010.

Affectionately known as “Zoomers,” Gen Z individuals are technologically advanced (having never seen a world without internet), perceive information best through visuals, and absorb tons of new information daily. Zoomers are quick to learn and adept with technology, which is something we’re all being challenged to do in this pandemic season!

Best Practices for Managing Meetings Remotely

Perhaps you’ve recently become a “Zoomer” yourself: video-conferencing for the first time or managing the majority of your business remotely.

Whether you’re a tech pro or you are brand new to online meetings, everyone faces video-based communication challenges. Here are a few tips to make your online meetings a bit better:

1. Put Your Best Foot Forward

Often when we’re at home, we get a bit slumpy with our hygiene.

Before your meeting, take a minute to freshen up and to inspect your viewing area. Make sure the light is shining toward you (not from behind you) and that you sit in front of plain walls or more simple backgrounds. Some platforms will also allow you to enable HD options and click a “touch up my appearance” feature, which can smooth out wrinkles and blemishes in a flattering way.

2. Test in Advance

Before starting your meeting, preview your audio settings.

If you’re just using your laptop speaker and microphone, there’s not much to adjust. But if you’ve got a mic-headset combo you’d like to use, make sure it’s the audio is selected for both the Speaker and Microphone options before you start your call.

3. Have Participants Mute Themselves

When people aren’t speaking, their microphones can pick up minor background noises like chewing, sniffles, or typing.

Even laughter from meeting participants can break up the audio flow, so ask people to mute themselves whenever they’re not talking.

4. Designate a Moderator 

The 2019 State of Remote Work report found that interruptions and being talked over are two of the biggest challenges for remote meetings.

To maximize group discussion, it’s best if a moderator calls on people individually and asks others to hold comments unless they indicate they’d like to speak. Some software has a “raise hand” feature, or you can establish on-camera signals that indicate when participants are ready to share. Chat boxes can also be used to type comments.

Finally, consider saving 10 minutes at the end of the meeting for additional comments or questions.

5. Have Some Fun

Part of the enjoyment of work is social connections.

“When you are used to being in person and have to be online, build in room for chitchat,” says Erica Kuhl, a consultant who has devoted years to nurturing online training communities.

Research shows that if employees don’t have a rich, welcoming online experience, their long-term engagement will drop significantly. Leave 15 minutes at the beginning of meetings for participants to introduce themselves, to share a personal highlight, or to enjoy some lighthearted banter. By building this in, you’ll have a more productive meeting overall.

Video Conferencing is Here to Stay

Now that we’ve gotten a taste for video conferencing, it may be here to stay.

Eighty percent of executives say video conferencing is taking over as the go-to form of internal team communication, and some predict that 50% of people will work remotely after 2020.

Being on top of your video conferencing game is essential, so use this season to master the technique, and you will reap the benefits in the future.

How to Keep Employees Busy During COVID-19

As the largest dental practice in North Carolina, Lane & Associates Family Dentistry (LAA) says it is proud to serve the state of North Carolina during COVID-19.

While restricting elective procedures, LAA has also gone above and beyond to serve its employees and community. LAA offered to temporarily pay employee insurance premiums, to prorate employee anniversary gifts, and to offer its staff interest-free loans. Staff have given nearly 1,000 sewed masks to the NC healthcare system, have been encouraged to donate blood, and they have provided lunch for healthcare workers, first responders, and long-term care facilities.

Recipients were thrilled. The Windsor Point Retirement Staff in Faquay-Varina gushed this over social media: “To Lane & Associates Family Dentistry, from the bottom of the hearts...THANK YOU!! We had the tastiest visit from Poblano’s Tacos Truck today for lunch!! It was delicious!”

Using Lag Time to Surge Ahead

During this uncertain season, employers around the world are navigating the challenges of fewer customers, reduced hours, or even mandated closures.

While you may not be able to proceed with “business as usual,” what can you do to keep your staff busy and profitable at this time? Here are a few ideas to consider:

Mobilize Service

Like LAA Dentistry, companies that care deeply for consumers, employees, and the community will gain trust and admiration.

Perhaps you can’t use your employees for face-to-face business right now, but maybe you can mobilize them for service instead. From a highway cleanup to food bank shelf stocking, brainstorm how you can involve your team in the community rather than running for cover. Companies that people admire help people solve problems, grow personally, or act collectively in ways that bring significant impact.

Host Meetings and Presentations Remotely

If you haven’t already, this is a great time to take your meetings from the boardroom to the internet.

Video-conferencing platforms abound in both paid and free capacities. Looking for options? Try Zoom, GoToMeeting, Microsoft Teams, or Google Hangouts. If some employees are unable to attend, choose software that allows you to make recordings that can be shared later.

Get Organized

What are those 5-10 projects your company has been putting off for years?

Now is the time to tackle them! Have your team sort file cabinets, recycle or donate useless items, shred old documents, or clean up digital files. This is also a great time to pursue continuing education, to gather tax documentation, or to work ahead on upcoming certifications.

Research New Systems or Marketing Options

Experts estimate that every minute spent planning saves as many as ten minutes in execution: if it takes 10-12 minutes to plan out your day, this can save up to two hours later on!

This principle holds true over time. By using downtime to research new systems (think project management software, marketing automation, or new accounting systems), you can surge forward after the quarantines have passed.

This may also be a good time to conduct focus groups or A/B testing for future marketing or to gather customer feedback that helps you to assess social and economic dynamics and to consider new opportunities. With the increased downtime, many companies have reported a positive increase in survey participation.

Get Personal

Connections are the key to business, so use this time to make personal phone calls, to write notes of appreciation, or to find ways to offer extra value to your best customers.

Reward loyal customers who share info about your online classes, delivery options, or your social media posts. A little appreciation goes a long way!

Using Lemons to Make Lemonade

Employees are vital to your business.

If at all possible, use this time to test new ideas, provide services in new ways, or to tackle tasks that have been long neglected.

Think outside the box and encourage your team to be creative too!