"Brand is just a perception, and perception will match reality over time."
In the spirit of Halloween, let’s talk about something far scarier than Jason, Freddy, or Michael. A threat even more terrifying than Pennywise.
[ Ok — almost more terrifying. Clowns are my bugaboo. ]
It’s the silent killer of credibility …
The nightmare haunting homepages …
The thing that sends dream clients running away screaming …
The Frankenbrand. 💀 [ Muah-ah-ahhhhhhh ]
A brand identity stitched together from random parts — mismatched logos, vague copy, and DIY graphics — barely hanging on with hope and duct tape.
***
The Frankenbrand loves to hide in plain sight: confused, cobbled together, and oddly familiar.
It doesn’t tell a clear story; it tells five different ones, poorly. Looks like a junk drawer, but with a domain name.
In case you’re unsure, here’s how to spot one in the wild:
A list of premium-priced services with bargain-basement aesthetics
A dated website clearly untested on modern mobile devices
Brand messaging as inconsistent as fall weather in Cleveland
Bizarre design choices that scream, “I made this myself in Canva!”
And the message it sends to prospects? … “We’re just not experts.”
[ Even if your business really is brilliant. ]
***
The cost of a Frankenbrand isn’t just the hours spent hacking away at your website like a mad scientist.
It’s all the missed opportunities with prospects that visit … and quietly bounce away.
It’s the underpriced proposals you send because (deep down) you know your brand image doesn’t match your value.
It’s the time you waste explaining — and RE-explaining — what you do because your positioning is stitched together with AI and jargon.
And here’s real horror: the more you “patch it up,” the worse it gets. 😱
***
Want to ditch the monster?
Stop trying to DIY your way out of the branding graveyard.
You need a professional who sees the full picture. Someone who can create the right strategy, voice, and visuals to make your brand feel unmistakably YOU.
Yes, it’ll cost more than a Canva subscription.
But I guarantee it’ll earn you WAY more than a Frankenbrand ever could.
***
♟️YOUR MOVE:
There’s still time to fix what’s not working. Let’s clean up your brand before the new year — so you can step into 2026 looking like the expert you already are.
🚫 LinkedIn Games. 🚫 Social Screaming.
Tomorrow at 3:00 EST, Laura Lopuch is pulling back the curtain on her client-getting system.
It doesn’t involve daily posting. Or awkward follow-ups. Or spray-and-pray LinkedIn bombs.
In 60 minutes, you’ll learn how to:
Find right-fit leads in 30 minutes
Write cold emails that get replies
Use AI to save time, not replace your voice
Show up LIVE because she’s tossing in a bonus worth way more than 60 minutes of your day. Pinky-promise.
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Make training more impactful and inclusive today.
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Victory Points
By: Mike Shary
My board-game-loving, copywriter extraordinaire and mentor, Dad ❤️
Illimat (#affiliate) is a clever card game about planting at the right time and harvesting before the weather turns.
Two to four players share a cloth divided into four fields, each under a rotating season. Your goal is simple: play cards into fields and score by harvesting piles.
You sow by laying a card into a field. You harvest by matching numbers to take the stack. Clear a field and a hidden Luminary flips, which changes how that spot works. Seasons shift, so the move that scored last turn may stall out this one.
Need cards for later turns? … Sow a low number and keep options open.
See a field one card from clearing? … Harvest now to reveal the Luminary and tilt the table.
If a season freezes your setup, move to another field and make points there. Nice patterns that never cash-in don’t win.
Your branding should work the same way. And a creative pro is vital in helping you choose those small next steps and keep score in plain English.
Illimat rewards finishing the move and taking the points. Make the plan. Harvest when it’s there. Set up your next opportunities.
Make it a great week! 🙌
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The links in our “Victory Points” section are affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase.
