One minute.

That's it.

One minute – or even shorter – is almost all the time you need to convince venture capitalists like me that your startup and idea is worth hearing more about. No pressure.

Unfortunately, in the non-stop, always-on world of investing, that's about as long as you have to pique my interest or turn me off. This is the essence of the elevator pitch.

To get your foot in the door, you have 30-60 seconds to tell investors why they should even open it for you. Sounds brutal, I know – been there. But with hundreds of businesses looking for limited financial resources, it's the best way for us to separate the wheat from the chaff.

Are you looking to improve your communication skills and choose an elevator pitch that will capture the interest of venture capitalists (VC)? Are you trying to set your startup apart from the competition? Here are some helpful tips to grab our attention and build enough intrigue to make us want to listen to the whole pitch.

Related: I Made $100,000 Pitching My Business – and 3 Simple Strategies Helped Me Do It

Know your real audience

Investors and VCs are not your audience.

Yes, we're listening, but you're not trying to sell us your product or service; you're trying to sell us why your audience wants to pay for it. You have precious seconds to show me how good you are know your audience and why they want or need what you have. This is what interests us most.

However, you'll want to understand who you're talking to and what industry their portfolio companies focus on. If I'm primarily involved with healthcare technology companies and you're pitching me a new AI product for my home, you're barking up the wrong tree.

Align your plan with the specific needs and preferences of potential investors and address their concerns directly and effectively. This targeted strategy will demonstrate your readiness and professionalism and help your idea stand out even more.

Understanding what matters most to your target audience and investors allows you create an elevator pitch that lands, captures their interests and secures their support.

Create a focused and memorable pitch

Keep it short and sweet while still packing a punch.

Your elevator pitch should be shortavoiding unnecessary details while emphasizing key selling points. Storytelling is a powerful tool that makes your pitch informative and memorable.

Too often, I hear founders rattle off technical specs or numbers when I want to hear a story about how their product can better solve an important problem. Tell me how you are transforming people's lives, solving their challenges and improving their well-being.

A great elevator pitch is informative and emotional, leaving a lasting impression on potential investors.

Related: 5 tips to create a winning business idea

Demonstrate passion and vision

Over the years, I have developed the ability to collect cobs everything i need to know from a founder in 60 seconds.

Typically, this is because founders and entrepreneurs really believe in and know their business inside and out, and they know exactly what to say in this short period of time. Showing genuine enthusiasm for your business' mission and long-term goals can be crucial. Investors are attracted to visionaries who can articulate the clear and compelling future of their venture.

One of our current businesses was developing an innovative educational app. During their elevator pitch, instead of focusing solely on technical features, they passionately shared their vision to transform education and make learning more accessible and engaging for children around the world.

This genuine enthusiasm and clear articulation of their mission captured my imagination and demonstrated the potential impact of their venture. Both of these were powerful motivators for me to jump on board.

Know by heart

As an entrepreneur, I felt completely stupid talking to my mirror, constantly trying to convince the person on the other end that my business was worth their time.

But no matter how embarrassing it feels, constantly practicing your step in the mirror or with other people is one of the best ways to make sure you're ready to hit it fast when the big moment comes.

Write your points, refine and edit your document until it's perfect, and start memorizing and practicing it in front of a mirror, camera, friends, mentors or strangers on the street. Okay, I'm not serious about that last one, but the point is, you have to keep it cool so you're not surprised when your big moment comes.

If you have a minute to wow me, don't waste it with ums and ahs. Be confident in your elevator pitch and practice it over and over, even if you feel like you could recite it in your sleep.

Related: The secret to drawing up your business plan in just 10 minutes

Make the most of your opportunity

There's no worse feeling than knowing you had 60 seconds to make an impression on potential investors only to lose it.

While the elevator pitch looks quick and easy, it's probably one of the most challenging things to prepare for. How can you fit the weight of your life's work into that time frame? It is a daunting task.

But as Albert Einstein said, “If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough.”

An effective elevator pitch is more than just presenting an idea. It's about conveying a vision, demonstrating value and capturing the essence of your business in a concise, memorable and compelling way.