When you design a site, it's important to keep the navigation simple and easy to understand. Certain web design elements have become part of the collective consciousness; your users expect your site to act and behave in a certain, standard way. When your web design deviates from the norm, you force your users to think harder about how to move through your site. And the more difficult it is to navigate your site, the less likely it is that people will keep browsing your site; they'll just get frustrated at some point and leave.

Inc. Magazine has a great article posted called Turning Browser Into Buyers. One of the biggest nuggets of wisdom in the article: In addition to having a clear message about what you're promoting, you've got to have a Call to Action on your website. What is it that you want the visitor to do? Buy a product? Visit a meeting? Make a phone call?