Charities that can be bothered to say 'thank you' to new donors(!) often talk in terms of a 'new donor welcome process' or 'donor welcome pack'.

I've got a problem with this. It seems presumptuous.

From a donor's perspective, it's akin to expecting a night of passion when all I did was buy you a drink.

From a fundraiser's perspective, saying 'welcome' could well suggest genuine complacency on your part. You've bagged me. I'm yours. You can rely on my help.

But all I did was give you a cash gift! Take it for granted that I'm going to keep on giving and you could end up taking the easy route when you craft your next warm appeal (a weaker proposition that's easier to get passed the comms department). And I might not respond. Ever again.

If you treat me as nothing more than a person who once gave you a cash gift and quite possibly will not give you another, maybe you'll work harder to thank me properly, to make me feel great about my decision to give, and to ask properly for my second, third and fourth gifts. I've talked about the importance of a good 'thank you' before. (Katya goes as far as to say we should thank our donors three times as often as we ask them for money.)

OK, so maybe 'welcome' is the right word if I have joined your membership scheme. Or signed up to a regular gift. But even then, I still need convincing. Be sure it's not a symptom of complacency.

Steve Andrews