There are many elements that go into a brand, and one of the most obvious (and fun) elements is your color pallet.

I always have my clients do the Zone of Brilliance exercise when they’re first establishing their brand. The exercise has them come up with 4-6 words to describe their essence, and from there, they’ll select colors that align with the essence of those words.

Here’s a complementary approach: open up your closet and look at the colors inside. Admittedly, this exercise works better for women than for men, but it is a great starting point nonetheless. You may find your closet is filled with jewel tones, primary colors or earth tones. You can also look around your home; the color scheme you chose to decorate your house is reflective of your color preferences and usually is a reflection of the essence of you.

Next, look at a color wheel.

Pick 3-4 complementary colors that are next to each other on the wheel, and choose one or two colors on the opposite side of the wheel for contrast.

When I did this exercise, I found that my closet and home are filled with muted blues, greens and earth tones. My first website was done in these colors, and yes, it was reflective of my natural way.

But two of the words that came up for me in the Zone of Brilliance exercise were “courageous” and “passionate,” and it was clear that color pallet didn’t represent all of my essence. I needed a few colors that would express the vitality and energy of “courageous” and “passionate”. I picked a burnt orange, a burnt red and a spring green to represent the full essence of who I am, and those are now part of the color pallet I use regularly to represent my brand.

Certainly a designer and/or your business coach can help, as well. But if you decide to DIY your color scheme, following these steps is a great way to get started!

With appreciation,

Tara Butler Floch