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Why Your Text Should Have Color, Too

When it comes to images, we know that color pushes the needle when it comes to motivating buyers. A picture of a juicy hamburger topped with bright green lettuce and ripe red tomato is far more compelling than the same image in black-and-white. So why should we be surprised that color in your marketing and informational text has the same power? Highlight color can boost your results dramatically.

Among the benefits of adding color to marketing or informational text:

• Helping readers find information more easily (great for insurance policies, contracts, and other lengthy documents)
Reducing errors (highlight instructions or account information, so people get it right the first time)
Slashing payment time (highlight the amount owed and the due date and watch your invoices get paid faster)
• Increasing the ability of readers to understand and retain information (great for sales presentations)
Increased recall of the marketing message (great for everything)

How can you put this into practice? Make phone numbers or due dates stand out. Highlight different methods of payment. Feature discounts in brightly colored starbursts. Use arrows or colored bullets to focus attention on critical points in brochures.

A classic example of these benefits in action comes from the State of California Franchise Tax Board (FTB). The FTB used to send out plain tax notices, but the documents were confusing, and the FTB consistently experienced slow payments and high volumes to its call centers. So it added highlight color and personalized messaging. Critical information was displayed in blue, guiding taxpayers through the document and providing specific instructions. The result? Faster payments and fewer mistakes. This translated into millions in additional interest income and, at an average cost of $15 per call to the call center, significant savings from reduced call volume.

Color gets attention and helps recipients find information and process it faster. This has significant benefits at every level of your organization. Let us help you use color to make you money and save you money, too.

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