This was the first product website I created for a client. Mark Jackson, the author, was looking to build a site that he could use to sell his book while also selling the full program that's an extension of the book. He'd had a website for it before but felt it was too cluttered and salesy. In addition to single books, Mark also wanted to offer boxes at a time to purchase. Read Me Or Stay Broke has seen a 50% increase in book sales since we launched the site.

Read Me Or Stay Broke is a step-by-step guide to restoring your financial health that includes guidance with money management, credit ratings & repair, investing basics, and financial planning. The book is a part of a program by Mark Jackson that teaches people how to become financially free. It also includes workshops, book signings, and keynote speeches. In an effort to pay his dying mother’s medical bills, Josh has burned the candle at both ends for far too long. In a last ditch effort to stay afloat, he works even harder. While his boss is breathing down his neck, exhausted and desperate, Josh comes to a simple realization: HE IS BROKE and out of options...until one day, a mysterious woman offers him a challenge. Her company offers him the chance to learn the powerful money secrets of the rich—secrets that have built fortunes for centuries but were always hidden from the public. But there is a catch: If Josh can complete the challenge, his mother’s bills will be paid in full. Fail, and she will die in debt. In his darkest moment, Josh agrees to the challenge.

So the first change Mark mentioned he wanted to see in the new site we built was to declutter it. Less noise. Another challenge we had was to make it less salesy. In creating a website for a product meant to be sold, that can be difficult--definitely possible though. Also, Mark had a lot of valuable reviews, content, and awards associated with Read Me Or Stay Broke I thought could provide a lot of social proof to the site. Another thing we wanted to do was to sell the programs along with the book.

We wanted to make sure the website has space to breathe and not feel cluttered, so white space was something we wanted to keep as much as possible. The content he had associated with RMOSB was so valuable, it almost replaced the need for any sales pitch. Read Me Or Stay Broke serving as the official curriculum for The 100 Black Men of America, Inc.’s Dollars and $ense Youth Investment Competition communicates it's impact in itself. Not to mention the various written AND video testimonials he had for the book. As for the programs, we were able to include that on the homepage with the book as an upsell to those who would be interested.

I have to give a big shoutout to my man Jacobi and Appreciation Creative. My website for Read Me or Stay Broke is running, cranking out sales for books while I'm here on vacation. I really appreciate you for the upgrade man. If you need any kind of website or SEO marketing assistance, that's the man to see right there.

Mark Sweeney Jackson