Recipients are most engaged during the first 60 days of an email relationship. But are you taking your newest list members on an email honeymoon cruise, or leaving them at the dock?

Email life is good. Visitors to your Web site find your opt-in enticing, and are signing up to receive your email messages. You quickly send new recipients a well-branded and thoughtful welcome message, thanking them for joining your list.

And then, if you're like most marketers, you forget about them for a while.

But statistics in MarketingSherpa's "Email Marketing Benchmark Guide 2006" show that the newest list members are also the most-highly engaged. Those who have been on an email list for 60 days or less open twice as many emails and click twice as many links as those who have been on a list for a year.

So while you could just send a nice welcome message and leave it at that, you'd be missing a unique opportunity to nurture relationships with the very people most eager to hear from you.

Consider a welcome campaign
A great way to kick off your email relationships is with a welcome campaign. During the first 30, 60 or even 90 days, send your new list members messages you've created especially for them. Special touches make your newest recipients feel special, and can create a strong positive impression that ensures your emails are eagerly anticipated long after the honeymoon is over.  For instance, you could:

• Include an unexpected bonus in your welcome letter. Surprise new recipients with something extra that they can take action on, and that invites further contact, such as a special limited-time offer, coupon or discount, invitation to enter a drawing or to download a white paper.
• Send a series of weekly messages containing your best recent content. By sending a series of messages that new recipients are sure to appreciate (no sales pitches!), you can showcase your expertise and demonstrate a consideration that helps to create trust and establish a bond.

Don't forget to white-list
New recipients want to receive your messages. To ensure that they reach the inbox, ask to be added to recipients' email address books. Go the extra mile and include instructions. Silverpop's "2005 Broken Link Study" offers white-listing instructions for eight of the most popular email programs.

Timing is targeting
The timing of a message in relation to an action a recipient has taken -- such as expressing an interest in receiving your messages -- plays nearly as big a role in deciding when to send an email as relevancy and value. People want email right after they have asked for it, while they are thinking about it and while the subject is still fresh in their minds. If you delay, their interest may wane or disappear altogether.

So consider breaking away from the standard approach of saying hello and following up with your usual stuff at the usual time. Create a segment for your newest members and engage them up-front with a welcome campaign. Not only will it distinguish you from others competing for space in the inbox, it will get your email relationships off to a good start, and help to ensure future response to your campaigns.