When was the last time you worked on your elevator pitch? You only have one chance to make a good impression. In sales, this means your elevator pitch needs to be on the money or you won’t be making any money.

Like any other sales or business tactic, people have grown weary of them. If you are not inventive and offer something new and appealing, people won’t pay attention.

“Mastering the art of delivering an effective elevator pitch can make or break you as an entrepreneur. From pitching your idea to a potential business partner, to convincing a key investor to come on board, or winning over your first client, there’s a lot on the line when it’s time to make a pitch,” says Ryan Robinson on Forbes.

Here are 5 inventive ways sales recruiters swear by to make your next elevator pitch a successful one:

1. Say the most important thing first

Getting to the point is important, so say the most important thing first. This will help generate interest, and it could buy you more time to fill in the details and provide more information to the interested party.

2. Make it short and sweet

“Recent studies show that the average adult attention span has dropped to around 8 seconds—with the natural reflex to check notifications on our smartphones picking up pace. Couple that with the fact that most people subconsciously form opinions about people within the first seven seconds of an interaction, and it’s clear that you have a very short window of time to make a powerful impression with your elevator pitch,” says Robinson.

3. Have a pitch for every situation

You can’t use the same elevator pitch for every person you meet. Just like you would customize a resume to a job application, you need to customize your pitch to your audience.

4. Be authentic

Avoid trying to be something you’re not. Be authentic and let this shine through in your pitch. Forget about generic and overly rehearsed lines. Lead with your passion and personality.

5. Pitch at the right time

Choosing the right time and place to make a pitch can be just as important as the pitch itself. Knowing what you know about your target, choose a time when you think they will be most receptive.

More Sales Strategy Advice from Sales Recruiters

3 Things You Can Do to Improve Your Sales Presentations

5 Amazing Ways to Increase Your Sales Leads

7 Steps to Creating the Perfect Sales Pitch

SalesForce Search is a sales recruiting company which specializes in the recruitment and placement of sales professionals. We recruit salespeople in every sector of the economy including, software, manufacturing, financial services and medical devices. Find the right salesperson for your organization, start your search here.