They may look cutting edge, but if you want a web site that contributes to your bottom line here are some design ideas you will want to avoid:

Opening with Flash. If your site opens with a movie that your prospect is forced to sit through, no matter how short, before they can get to your welcome or home page, you are losing customers. She wants information, and that movie is standing in her way. She may not wait to see what is on the other side.

A pretty landing page. If your prospect types in www.widgets.com (or clicks on it in her search engine result) and is greeted with click here to enter, she is just as likely to hit her back button instead.

Reverse type. Reverse type is basically white letters on a black background (the reverse of what is normal). It looks cool and hip. But it is a pain in the rear end to read. Add that to the fact that people read a computer screen 25% slower than paper anyway, and you are just making it too difficult. Many people simply will not make the effort.

Small print. Im not talking about legalese. Im talking about using a font that is too small. Once again, it is harder to read on a screen than it is on paper. If your font is smaller than 12 points, and especially if it is smaller than 10, you are asking too much of your prospects. I know it looks cool, but looks dont make sales.

Distractions. If anything on your page is blinking, moving, changing color, or in any other way drawing your prospects eye away from the words he is reading, your bottom line is being hurt. The same goes for busyness. If there is too much on the page, even too much print, it will not be read.

Your web site may not look as exciting, but getting rid of these design elements will make your bottom line a thrill. And that is about as exciting as it gets!