Don't have a list of rules? That's like hiring a salesman without going through his resume and interviewing him. Maybe you're thinking, 'my web designer will know what todo'. Have you ever ask him what is it that he knows? Ask him what guidelines does he abide in. The following are a few suggestions.
- Animate it. It captures attention. If you're really lazy, then just animate the background or certain objects in the design. A little movement will make it stand out from the static page.
- The text should take 2 seconds or less to read.
- Make the message straightforward and simple.
- Antialias it to smooth edges of text and objects.
- Of course, keep it small