The obvious benefit to adding a web component to your brick-and-morter store is to reach more consumers, but a website can also help build enthusiasm and generate more sales.

Below are 4 ways to use your website to motivate your consumers to buy:

1. Share Your Knowledge-base

Half the battle is convincing the consumer that they need your product – essentially fabricating the demand. A great way to do this is to create “how-to” or tutorial articles. Your article will teach or inform the reader on how to do something, and somewhere within the article a mention to your product should be included.

Not only will this help the consumer know what your product can do, but also helps create the relationship between you and the customer that you are an authority on this topic.

Lowes handles this problem by creating tutorials on popular weekend projects.

2. Manage Promotions, Discounts, and Coupons

What’s in season? What are the trends right now? Are there any special deals? Sites like Macy’s do a great job of relaying this information to their visitors. Customers continually return to the site to see what great deals are available today. Learn how to manage promotions with BigCommerce.

3. Generate User Reviews/Consumer Interactions

In today’s complex market, word of mouth is still the best form of marketing. Regardless of how good or bad a product is, the retailer will describe it in the best way possible, so you can see why consumers might be hesitant to listen to these product descriptions.

Sites like Best Buy do a great job of letting shoppers post reviews of products they have purchased, so potential buyers get an idea of what the product is really like.

4. Publish Press Coverings

No matter how great your products might be, if you are a relatively obscure and small business consumers will always be think twice before purchasing from you. A great way to overcome this hurtle is to publish any positive press about your company.

Georgetown Cupcake simply devoted one page of their site to all the latest press coverings on their company.

In order to get the most out of  your website, it is important to think of it as just another salesman. Besides a list of all your products, your website should help inform the customer what is going on with your business and create a sense of dialogue between the two interacting parties.

While a website can help businesses sell more goods, a nicely designed website can also inform potential customers about what products are offered through your company, what makes your company special, the history of your company, and other various data you plan to share.

Most importantly a nicely developed website can help expand the reach of your business from the store to the customer’s home. No longer is the customer required to make a trip to the store every time it wants to make a purchase or learn something; rather, the online extension of your business will suffice.

In this article, you will see a compilation of local businesses who are using a website to market their services (some only locally and others globally).

Georgetown Cupcake – This DC area pastry shop allows customers to submit orders directly from the website. The website also does a good job of sharing media mentions and shares what the company has done within the community.

Bethesda Florist – This local florist in Bethesda, MD allows customers to create and send orders directly from their website. They have also grouped and recommended items based on various occasions.

Real Estate Agent – Real Estate Agent, Roberta LaRocca, has created a website that not only showcases her skills and listings, but also shares some tips, guides, and other helpful information on Las Vegas real estate for both buyers and sellers.

Nick and Sam’s Grill – As a local steakhouse in Dallas, TX, this steakhouse has created a sense of sophistication through the flashy pictures and ambience of the website. A Google search for “Dallas steakhouse” brings up this restaurant and potential customers can view the menu and create a reservation directly from the website.

GreenTree Landscaping – This Los Angeles-based landscaping company details it’s services and pictures from previous projects. The website also lists it’s design process and how to find the right solution.

Johnny CupCakes – This Boston-area clothing company has use their website to help build and grow their unique brand, while fostering a following all along the way. On the website, users can shop for clothes and stay up-to-date on all the latest company news through the website blog.