Thirsty for a strategy for marketing drinks

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(FORTUNE Small Business) -- Dear FSB: I've developed a health drink with an array of vitamins, minerals, and omegas that I'm currently selling over the Internet. I think it'll be the next big thing in nutrition - how can I introduce my product on a large scale?

- Bruce McMullin, Salt Lake City

Dear Bruce: So you think you have a killer app? You need a marketing plan.

For advice, we turned to Scott Vincent Borba, owner of Borba, based in Woodland Hills, Calif. Bora sells beverages, cosmetics, and candy infused with vitamins and extracts that improve skin. In June 2006, Borba told FSB readers how he got his product into high-end retailers and Jamba Juice by making 15 cold calls a day. Today, Borba has a global distribution deal with Anheuser Busch (BUD, Fortune 500) and a partnership with QVC.

"You have to give them a reason to believe" was his first comment. When selling a beverage that promises health benefits, he says, substantiate your claims. "Put the data on your packaging - the university studies, the research. And if you're touting the array of ingredients in your drink, list them all on your packaging, but emphasize the top-of-the-line ingredients - you have to dive into the unique things, beyond the omegas."

Once you've backed up your product's promises with evidence, you decide how you're going to market it.

"Pricing is incredibly important. If you're going to sell it at a high cost, it's a luxury item that'll only get into niche stores," Borba says. Borba suggests converting the drink into a single-serve, pre-packed beverage to make it affordable for the mass market.

After the product is correctly packaged and priced, the next step is to follow Borba's example - make cold calls.

"Remember, 95 percent of the people you speak with will say no immediately," he says. "You need one person to say yes - but make sure it's the right person."

To figure the best sales channel for your drink, think about corporations that link up with your healthy brand identity. Consider companies such as Dannon, whose products focus on well-being. Borba also suggests that you consider unconventional places to pitch your product, such as national spa chains.

Finally, don't forget the customer's palette. "If people can't guzzle it, they're not going to buy it over and over," he says. "Even if it reduces stress and makes you healthy, no one's going to drink it if it doesn't taste good!"