Not directing an audience through a design is misdirecting them!
Eye Movement
Left to Right Top to Bottom
Natural scanning tendency
Eyes gravitates to areas of complexity first
Light areas of composition attract the eye especially when adjacent to a dark area
Diagonal lines guide eye movement
Optical Center is where the eye directly goes when it looks at a page (not direct center, slightly to the left)
Compelling elements pull your eye in
Eye makes a sweep of the page normally in a z pattern
As a designer its your job to lead the viewer through the page
Fonts
No more than two fonts total in one composition
Avoid all uppercase
Chose the right font (fits theme and tone)
Don't overuse fancy, complicated fonts
www.typography.com/email/2010-03/index.htm
Visual Hierarchy will establish focal points based on their importance to the message that's being communicated