I am of the opinion that direct marketing is the way to go for BlackBerry. One way this could be done, with very little up front money, and ongoing costs coming out of actual sales, is to possibly use MLM companies like Amway, MaryKay, Avon, or the like. These sales forces are motivated to make sales, and their track record of moving products to the consumer speaks for itself. There are MLM companies that make money for their distributors selling long distance, so why not smart phones?
It would never work for smartphones. They're far too expensive, far too complicated, and it would require the salespeople to have knowledge of the product that they don't have, plus there are the technical issues: who is going to activate the phones? Who is going to get them the correct-sized and model SIM for their carrier? Who is going to transfer their contacts and data from their old phone (and how)?
Phones aren't like a lipstick or a box of laundry detergent; they need a lot more support for most people to be able to start using them, and the only organizations equipped for that are the carriers. Sure, there might be a handful of techie people who could handle this stuff on their own, but MLM marketing only works for items that sell in big volumes, and the vast majority of MLM customers are the type who are NOT techie and need plenty of help with their phones - help that their MLM person isn't in the position to provide.
