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Most of these come out of conversations with clients, or out of the back of John's truck on the drive home from a sign install. If you want them in your inbox, scroll to the bottom of any post and sign up.

Written by John Parkins
08 / 08 notes
Beau the Booklet holding up a fanned stack of paper samples in a print shop scene
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Print Squad

The Paper Guide: How to Pick a Stock That Doesn't Embarrass You

Before someone reads a word on your printed piece, they feel it. Here are the four paper stocks that cover 90% of what a small business will ever print, plus the upgrades that make a card people remember.

May 17, 20267 min read
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Yara the Yard Sign standing roadside at dusk as a car blurs past, sign reading clear and bold
Print Squad

Yard Signs That People Actually Read From a Moving Car

A yard sign is a billboard with a budget problem. You've got two seconds to land a message. Here's how to design one that works, what to print it on, and where you're legally allowed to put it.

May 17, 20267 min read
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Polly the Palette sketching design concepts at her drawing table
Brain Squad

Don't Hire a Designer Based on Their Degree

Some things can't be taught. You either have the eye for design or you don't. Here's what actually matters when you're hiring.

May 15, 20265 min read
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Brain SquadDigital Squad

AI in the marketing agency space: what's actually worth using

I have been using AI tools in my marketing work for a while now. Here is what is actually useful, what is hype, and the tools I keep coming back to when nobody is watching.

May 15, 20267 min read
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Beau the Booklet
Print SquadBrain Squad

Print is not dead. It is just picky.

Every couple of years somebody declares print marketing dead. Then somebody else opens a really nice piece of mail and changes their mind for a week.

Apr 22, 20265 min read
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Brain SquadDigital Squad

Why we stopped using stock photos on client sites

Stock photos are the visual equivalent of saying you are passionate about excellence. They check the box and say nothing.

Mar 30, 20264 min read
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Marco the Map
Brain Squad

The thing nobody tells you about a rebrand

A rebrand is not a paint job. Half the work happens before anyone opens a design file, and the part the client sees is the smallest piece.

Feb 18, 20266 min read
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Lumi the Lightbulb
General

How to read a marketing quote without going crazy

A short, honest field guide for small business owners who are staring at a proposal full of words like 'omnichannel' and 'engagement uplift.'

Jan 10, 20265 min read
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