"Nobody loves email marketing more than I do," says Gary Levitt. "But even I admit that within the grand taxonomy of consumer touchpoints, e-newsletters hold a sorry position."

Regardless of how we feel about them, the fact remains: e-newsletters do a consistent job of moving product and building loyalty. So if you must have one, you might as well make it a pleasant surprise for readers who are conditioned to expect predictable—and often mediocre—content. According to Levitt, this means playing by a whole new set of (slightly contrary) rules. Here are a couple of his suggestions:

Discuss how your company handled a problem. Take inspiration from a print campaign in the 1960s that demonstrated how Volkswagen's quality control caught "lemons" before they left the factory. Though admitting a failure on the production line, the overall message was that only first-quality products would reach their customers.

Print a gloriously irrelevant interview. "Approaching a topic head-on can be a headache," says Levitt, "especially if it's been done to death. Try a sideways approach." An interesting viewpoint—regardless of its subject—will add value to the reader's experience.

"Rebelling against clichés will keep your customers reading," says Levitt, "and it'll keep you writing—without falling asleep."

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