Items to consider when designing your web site.

First and in my mind, not the hardest decision to make, is what kind (format) of web site you want.  Each style has it's pro's and con's, which must be taken into consideration by you.  By what kind I mean:

a) HTML, hyper text markup language, by for the most common of all the web sites.  Pro's, the easiest of all the languages for clients to change and update themselves.  Able to be viewed without and addins on the users browser.  Also the easiest language for search engines (Google, Yahoo, MSN & AOL) to be able to read your web site and include it for better positioning, closer to the top 10 choices when people search for you.  Called search engine optimization (SEO).  lot's of bells and whistles available for html. This site is an example of HTML.  Con's, coding can be longer and not as much action.
I always will recommend html based website for new users.

b) Flash Based web site (click here for an example of Flash).  Pro's, very flashy presentation, more like a slide show. Con's, search engines can't see the information, text inside the site, so you don't list high when people search for you, many pages down.  Take's major work to do any changes to the web site.  Clients or future clients can't right click and copy and images or print the page to keep for reference.

c) ASP, active server pages, (click here for a asp based web example).  Pro's, great for a store front, runs off MS Access database.  Con's, hard to change the base look of the website.  Search engines cant see the information, text inside the site, so you don't list high when people search for you, many pages down.  Has to be hosted on a windows based server.

Second and one of the two hardest items to choose is what kind of navigation (menu) system for your web?  The reason this is difficult is simple, there are many different navigation system to choose from.

a) Simple button menu, like this web site at the top or you can use images that change as your mouse passes over (click here for an example of image based buttons).

b) Navigation Bar with no drop down.  Can be along the top (horizontal) or at the side (vertical). (click here for horizontal example - or here for vertical)

c) Navigation Bar with drop down, for large web sites with lots of options or information.  Can be along the top (horizontal) or at the side (vertical). (click here for horizontal example - or here for vertical)

d) Navigation Bar with tabs & drop downs.  Along the top only, with or without drop downs.  (click here for an example)

Third and also difficult is the look & background of your web site.  This becomes important because this is after all an electronic brochure in full color.  Color affects how people feel - white, bright happy - browns & grays, dark and cold.

a) Color, either a solid color or gradient color.

b) Image, light enough not to block the text.  The image can move as you scroll down the page or be locked in place as the text moves.

Look at other web sites and see what you like.  This is the easiest way to start coming up with ideas for your site.  After all you don't want to copy a web but you can take the things you like from a few webs to create the best of what you like.