Give your site the personality test
I loved Susan Solomon approach to Web site development today on ClickZ. The “ghost” of Web site conformity is closer than you think…
Actually I’m facing the opposite problem right now, trying to write down a concept for the new Web site of the Company I work for. Here they don’t want to conform, they want to stand out of the crowd, but… they have an out of fashion marketing approach, too much product oriented! So I believe doesn’t make a big difference if you have an innovative approach to your web site communication but you lack of the right marketing basis 
At the risk of being a) misunderstood and b) flamed…
As ‘Marketers’ we often do two stupid things.
We over-estimate the importance of our role.
We over-complicate the task.
This tends to lead to unnessarily complex ‘solutions’ to what often aren’t really problems. And, sadly, ineffective and contrived campaigns.
Whatever the ‘client communication choice’ - and consequent decision to conform or mould-break - the key element is one that’s too often disregarded.
BE NATURAL.
That’s the real key.
If you’re a stuffy suit, that’s fine.
Neither better nor worse than being an in-your-face non-conformist.
Both work.
Each has its mark. And market.
‘Decide what you do. Tell folk. Honestly. Enthusiastically.’
How difficult can that be?