How to develop a homepage layout that sells

"The trouble is, although you know you need a header, navigation links, main content and a footer, it’s pretty hard to decide exactly where to position each, what margins and padding and fonts and colors to use, what items to include or exclude, and all those other details. You need a process you can rely on to ensure that you meet your client’s needs, and aren’t just shooting in the dark. "

http://www.smashingshare.com/2010/04/12/how-to-develop-homepage-layout-that-sells/