To me...
One of the most high priority aspects of designing/creating anything for anyone is being able to produce the vision that they have of/for themselves. This is key to maintaining the continuity of the company's corporate brand and public persona. And that is my first and foremost goal when a project begins -- learning about and understanding the client and their needs/wishes.
Samples
1) Visual samples - screen captures of some of the most recent sites I've done.