Every so often a product or service comes into the market and it really defies convention by having great success in the face of insurmountable odds. Consider the story of Grey Goose vodka.

In 1998 Sidney Frank introduced this new vodka into the market with the goal of unseating Absolut as the world’s best selling brand. And that wasn’t his only goal. He wanted to sell his vodka for nearly double the price of Absolut while still gaining all that market share.

Done and done.

Grey Goose was recently sold to Bacardi for $2 Billion as the world’s number one brand of vodka. Sidney Frank achieved his goals in spades but how did he do it? He did it by using a technique I call Hail Mary Marketing.

Hail Mary Marketing involves something that is a key ingredient to a successful business career. That something I speak of is belief. Belief in yourself and belief in your ideas. Sidney Frank’s idea was a simple one. He believed that there was a space in the vodka market for a premium vodka. He knew that he would have to pull together a great product in order to fill that space. More importantly, he knew that a great product won’t necessarily grab market share without a story.

This is the point where most entrepreneurs would stop. They would stop because they wouldn’t be able to believe that a new product would be able to take over the worldwide vodka market. Without that belief they wouldn’t be able to create a compelling story. Without that belief they wouldn’t be able to get the word out in a manner that inspired confidence in their product. It just couldn’t be done.

The essence of Hail Mary Marketing involves selling an idea that very few people (or maybe none) believe can be sold. Sidney Frank believed and in believing he crafted a great story. Imagine a vodka made from the finest French spring water. Packaged in large, frosted glass bottles with etching instead of labels. Imagine a vodka stopped with a cork instead of a screw cap, and shipped in wooden cases instead of cartons. Everything about Grey Goose screamed luxury, including the price.

We know the end of the Grey Goose story. But what about your story? What’s happening with your business ideas? Somewhere along the line you will have an idea. And when that time comes you’ll need to sell that idea. There’s a good chance that many people won’t believe in the idea. That’s where your version of Hail Mary Marketing comes in to play.

No matter how you plan to approach your marketing effort, Hail Mary Marketing involves four key steps that can help you be successful.

1. Visualize your idea in the greatest detail possible.
2. Create a “story” to make your idea more compelling.
3. Broadcast a message consistent with your story.
4. Ignore the doubters if you haven’t at least tried to make it happen.

Taking these steps won’t guarantee success in marketing your idea, but it will guarantee that you’re in the game while many others are on the sidelines. And in the world of business you can’t win unless you’re in the game.