Team National is an Amway-style multi level small business marketing firm that plans to compete with cable and satellite TV providers in the US. The company will let members purchase and promote a package with two dozen cable TV channels that is delivered over the internet. Team National has worked with IPTV technology and encoding provider NeuLion to create Team National TV, a 25 channel TV service delivered over broadband connections that includes networks like Fox News Channel, Hallmark Channel, HSN, NFL Network, CBS Sports and Outdoor Channel.

The service will be priced at $39.99 a month, and that is on top of the IP set-top box from NeuLion which will cost about $100. The company claims to already have 280,000 members and sales agents across the US who will sell subscriptions to the service.

When it comes to direct marketing ideas, direct mail campaigns are still a popular approach. However, many direct mail pieces get thrown away before they are even opened, so it's important for marketers to find innovative ways of making their pieces stand out form the crowd.

One idea for doing this is to simulate an old-fashioned telegram. These official looking yellow envelopes will tend to get opened more frequently, as will any envelope style that looks official like a legal-sized manila style. Another effective strategy is to include a sample with your marketing mail. For example, there are firms which have included everything from roof tile to carpet swatches with their mail piece. If your product or service is not amenable to a physical sample, you could also offer a free coupon for a sample or trial instead.

As part of your retail marketing strategy, many retailers are looking to revamp their in-store brand design to give themselves a competitive edge. There has been an uptick in requests from retail clients who are looking to refresh their store concepts, with projects ranging from remodels of existing stores to creating entirely new store prototypes. Retailers are getting their design, marketing and advertising teams together to collaborate on creating a streamlined and coherent brand strategy.

The recent recession has made US consumers more discriminating and less brand-loyal then before, and the US market has also seen an influx of new chains from Asia and Europe which are creating more competition for homegrown retailers. These overseas chains put more focus on merchandising displays to market themselves, rather than relying on signs and graphics, giving their stores a cleaner and more aesthetically pleasing look.