One of the most engaging presentations at this year's PSGA conference was Michael Shadow's Making Persuasive Presentations. This presentation was included because, as the conference brochure stated, "…not all our work takes place in front of a computer."

In short, what I took from the presentation is that you have a limited amount of time to be memorable. And I think that often works on paper just as it works for presentations. Proposal letters, for example, have to catch funders' attention, engage their curiosity, and compel them to take the next step with you.

Michael Shadow cited two key time elements: First, you have 30 second to a minute to tell people what your presentation is about. Second, you have 45 seconds to leave a lasting impression with your conclusion.

What does that mean in a proposal letter?

Reading speed varies from person to person. But after looking at a number of sources, 200 words per minute seems reasonable. That figure has two implications. First, your writing must be readable at that rate. Aim for a 7^th to 8^th grade reading level. Second, it means you have 100 to 200 words to get to your point.

How much can you do in 200 words? Well, the five paragraphs above contain just under 200 words.

Also, when I say make your point I mean write a sentence that succinctly states what your proposal letter is about. As Joseph Williams points out in his book, Style, Towards Clarity and Grace, you should be able to point to a single sentence that gets to the heart of what your letter is about.

That poses a question for you. Which sentence would you want to point to: "We are asking for a grant of $25,000" or "We hope to double the number of people helped by our food bank in 2010"?

Clearly, you may need the $25,000 to meet the goal of doubling the number of people you help. But it helps to keep clear which is the goal and which is a tool for achieving the goal. And funders want to hear about goals first.

Over the years I've seen proposal letters that required you to read nearly two pages of mind-numbing detail before getting to the point. I understand why you feel the urge to write such a letter. If you feel a funder doesn't know you, you want to tell them everything so that you don't miss an opportunity to connect.

But great ideas often come in a few, well selected words. A gem of an idea can shine if it can be seen, like a gem in a ring. It can also be overwhelmed if surrounded by too much prose, like a diamond lost in a sand pile.

Finally, remember that proposal letters are only one step in building your relationship with a funder. If your group and the funder are strangers now, then the proposal letter introduces you and your idea. But be concise and appropriate to your topic. Think of it this way, have you ever had a stranger sit down next to you and start telling you their entire life story in the next ten minutes? If so, you know that even if the person was engaging, you still came away pretty confused by the whole encounter.

You want to be more like the person you meet at a party and find out that you share an interest in the same author. Over time you get to know more and more about each other. Eventually you look back and find it hard to imagine that other person had once been a stranger.

Your proposal letter is just that first step.