I love a clean interface, lots of white space, simple design elements. This goes a long way toward highlighting the one main idea of the page (which you should also have).
Design is often overlooked, or people don't realise your design can help you build trust and it is more than just "Lipstick" What design elements do you think are important? What do you think works and what doesn't?
Well, it's tough to say, now that you asked me.
By "clean interface" I mean there should not be a lot of clutter and widgets. Of course you need links to the about page, and other resources on the site, but everything on the page should be necessary. No fluff.
White space makes me feel free. I'm free to explore the main idea of the page, without having to filter out the other things. Without white space, I feel like I have a lot of information to wade through, and it might be a long, hard slog, and maybe it might be easier if I just skip this page. (I go through that thought process often, on web sites!)
Any graphics or icons should be instantly meaningful. I shouldn't have to wonder why they're there. And they should relate to the one main idea of the page. And there shouldn't be too many of them, unless the graphics ARE the main idea of the page.
I HATE ads. I know site owners depend on them for revenue, but so many sites are essentially unusable because of all the ads. Any ads should be un-intrusive (but does that also make them ineffective?), and of course, related to the one main idea of the page.
MMM writes the most amazing blog posts. Each one of his posts is attention-grabbing, fun to read, and focused. You definitely don't need to copy MMM's style, but try to develop a style that is attention-grabbing, fun to read, and focused.