Off Color

See red-and you instantly think heat, danger, stop. Visualize blue-and the ocean, blue skies and other calming images come to mind.

Whether you're aware of it or not, colors evoke an array of complex sentiments in our minds every second of the day. And using these nonverbal cues to your advantage-whether in marketing materials or displays in your store-will surely benefit your business, customers and employees. Granted you understand which colors evoke which particular emotions, that is.

This article was originally published in the June 2000 print edition of Entrepreneur with the headline: Off Color.