Flash isn't always the answer. Remember some people still don't have it (maybe 8-10%).
Get a statcounter and see what kind of people view your site, then tailor it towards them. Eg if noone has javascript, don't use javascript; if they are mostly low res monitors, check how your site looks at low res.
Other than that, careful design, appropriate to the content. For example if it's a gadget vendor, you might want bright, technical colours, images of shiny gadgets etc; whereas if it's a war diary, you might want a subtle colour scheme using browns and yellows, perhaps with a parchment background or similar. Learn CSS, as it really helps design features come together. See this site for a small demo with a couple of CSS tricks you can use to good effect:
http://www.matt.elementfx.com/css/
Get a favicon.
Make sure the content is easily accessible and good contrast, not too small text (easy to read), make sure the navigation is simple and intuitive.
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