Printed things don't need much in the way of navigation. A table of contents, perhaps an index for really long stuff. Brochures don't even have that. But on the internet, navigation is crucial. It's how people are going to get from one part of your website to another.
Navigation needs to be obvious and consistent, but hopefully graphically interesting.
And, unlike baseball fields in Iowa, with a website, if you build it they won't come unless you make it easy for them to find you. Found is better.