New member welcome email series: five emails for the first 60 days

A new member welcome email series is a short set of emails, usually four or five over the first 60 days, that turns a payment into a member who actually shows up. Each email has one job: say thank you, show them where things are, get them to an event, introduce them to people and ask how it’s going. Sent on a schedule, it does in two months what most associations never get around to doing at all.

Here’s the series I’d use, with timing and a short template for each.

Why the first 60 days matter most

Someone who just joined is as interested as they’ll ever be. They paid. They’re curious. And if nothing happens in the next couple of months, that interest fades into “I’m not sure what I’m getting for this.”

That’s why first-year members renew at a lower rate than everyone else. Our article on membership retention rate shows how big that gap usually is. The welcome series is the cheapest way to close it.

I run a chapter’s email day to day alongside a volunteer board, and before that I worked at an association management company. The pattern was the same in both places: members who came to something in their first few months stuck around. Members who got a receipt and nothing else drifted. A welcome series is simply a way to make sure every new member gets the first experience, not just the ones a board member happens to notice.

The five emails at a glance

Five emails over two months is not too many. Each one is short and useful, and new members expect to hear from you.

Email 1: Welcome (send immediately)

This one goes out the moment they join. Keep it warm and short. It should come from a real person, usually the president or membership chair.

Subject: Welcome to [Organization], [First name]

Hi [First name],

Thank you for joining [Organization]. We’re glad you’re here.

Your membership is active through [date]. Your receipt is attached, and you can log in any time at [link] to see your membership, update your profile and register for events.

Over the next few weeks I’ll send a few short notes to help you get the most out of it. If you have a question before then, just reply to this email. It comes straight to me.

[Name], [Title]

Email 2: Find your way around (day 3)

Don’t send a list of every benefit. Pick the three things a new member should do first.

Subject: Three things to do first

Hi [First name],

Here are the three things most new members find useful right away:

That’s it for now. More soon.

Email 3: Your first event (day 10)

This is the most important email in the series. Getting someone to one event changes everything.

Subject: Come to [event] as our guest

Hi [First name],

Our next [event type] is on [date] at [place]. It’s the easiest way to meet people, and I’d love to introduce you to a few members when you get there.

[Register button]

If that date doesn’t work, here’s what else is coming up: [link to calendar].

If your budget allows, comp the first event for new members. If not, make sure someone is watching the registration list and greets them by name at the door.

Email 4: Meet the people (day 21)

Associations are about people. Introduce one.

Subject: Meet [Board member name]

Hi [First name],

I’d like to introduce you to [Name], who [role or one line about them]. [Name] has offered to be a point of contact for new members, so if you’d like to grab coffee or have a question about how things work, they’re happy to help.

You can reach them at [email].

Ask the board member first, and copy them on the email so the introduction is real. Some groups pair every new member with a buddy for the first year. If you do, this email is where the buddy gets introduced. Our member onboarding process article covers that in more depth.

Email 5: How’s it going? (day 45 to 60)

Close the loop and ask for feedback. This email is also an early warning system. If someone says “I haven’t been able to make anything,” you’ve found a renewal risk while there’s still time.

Subject: Quick question, [First name]

Hi [First name],

You’ve been a member for about two months now, and I wanted to check in. How’s it going so far?

Is there anything you were hoping to get from [Organization] that you haven’t found yet? Just hit reply. I read every answer.

Thanks again for joining.

Making it run without you

The whole point of a series is that it runs on its own. A few practical notes:

• Automate it. Most email platforms let you trigger a series when someone is added to a “new members” list. Set it up once and it handles every new member, every time.
• Send from a person. Use a real name, ideally a role-based address like membership@ so it survives officer transitions.
• Keep the look consistent. Same header, same signature, same tone across all five. Members should recognize your emails before they read the subject line.
• Review it once a year. Event names change, board members change. Read the series every January and update anything stale.
• Track one number. How many new members came to an event in their first 60 days? If that number goes up, the series is working.

Frequently asked questions

How many emails should a new member welcome series have?

Four or five over the first 60 days is a good range. Fewer and you miss the chance to get them to an event. More and the emails start to feel like a sales sequence instead of a welcome.

Who should new member welcome emails come from?

A real person, usually the president or membership chair, sent from a role-based address so it doesn’t break when officers change. People open and reply to email from a person far more readily than from “The [Organization] Team.”

What’s the most important email in a welcome series?

The first-event invitation. Members who attend something early tend to stay. Everything else in the series supports that one goal.

Want a welcome series set up and running on its own? It’s part of how we help associations and chambers with member communications. Request an introduction.