Losing Culture, Branding, and You

Does every ounce of research that you read or hear about make you want to change the direction in which you are going?

This question seriously causes me internal conflict. Building a business is not an easy task, but I wouldn’t want it any other way. I have been chugging along now for fifteen years and I know I am never going to stop. But rather than continue with a long drawn out rant about my entrepreneurial spirit, here is my current challenge.

Manipulating Minds with Color

Let me start by saying that I have only heard about this recently, not that I have read into myself. As we (my business) are updating our website, I guess a timely piece of information which was shared with me, was regarding the colors of a website and how it can influence the behaviors of your site visitors. This is where my challenge is and my question to you.

Do I build a website based on branding, or do I base it on manipulating ones mind through color patterns?

I have been a firm believer in the branding process, which is why this is becoming an issue for me. Not only is it a branding situation, but a legacy. One of the most iconic symbols that stands the test of time are logos and color schemes that have identified some of the largest businesses in the world. They have branded themselves and have become a recognizable force to those who connect with them. Most business owners, entrepreneurs, and wantpreneurs look at what we want to leave behind, a legacy. If you read that and you disagreed then I strongly urge you to reevaluate yourself. You are doing what you are doing for one of two reasons, money or legacy. I chose the latter.

So in understanding who I am, and why I do what I do, and who I serve; if by moving in the direction of developing my site and all of my collateral pieces merely to manipulate a mind into buying, Do I begin to jeopardize my branding? Do I begin to jeopardize the culture of my business? Do I begin to jeopardize my culture? Is it that important for me to change my thought processes to implement such a strategy that it is driven by the dollar?

Lastly; when the next piece of research comes out and says that branding is the most important thing to a business, do you then revert or implement a new branding strategy? How often do you update your brand just to appease the so-called nature of conducting business?