If you have been involved with networking marketing for any length of time, you are probably familiar with the term autoship.  If you have been involved in direct sales, you know about minimum purchase requirements.  Both of these terms basically mean that you have to purchase or sell a certainly amount of product each month or each quarter or some other predetermined length of time.  By purchasing or selling that particular amount of product you stay active.  In other words, you are actively participating in your business and you are eligible for all the various bonuses, commissions, offered by that particular company.  You also know that when you first start in a business you get some kind of "starter pack."  This is usually an assortment of products from the company so you can try the various products. Sometimes you get to chose which products you want, sometimes it is a predetermined assortment.

The result of both of these particular requirements is that you can end up with quite a few "extra" products hanging around your house.  So, what do you do with these extras?  They certainly aren't doing anyone any good sitting in your garage and for the most part they are great products--right?  Here are a couple of ideas of how to make those products work for you rather than just take up space.

1.    Use the extras as samples for potential customers.  Maybe your company doesn't offer samples.  These extras can be great way to introduce your products to someone.   Just be sure to use them wisely and get contact information on anyone you give a sample.
2.    Gift baskets.  Teachers, people you do business with, families and friends are just some of the people that might appreciate a gift basket of you products.  Again, be smart and make sure you contact information is at least in the baskets but preferably on the products themselves.
3.    Give the products to charity. This can be a great way to get a tax deduction.  A way to use them for charity and still get you name out is to offer the products as a gift basket to be raffled off or for a silent auction for a school or other charity.  If you don't have kids, just find a school in your area.  They will be happy for the help and you will get some advertising.
4.    Trade shows.  Take those extra products to a trade show and sell them.  This is a grea tway to make some money, talk to potential customers/distributors, and make new business contacts with other vendors.
5.    Have your own trade show.  Have your products on display at a garage sell or other event at your home.  Have an open house to introduce people to these great products you represent.

Having a lot of extra product sitting around is a waste all the way around.  You paid for these great products, let them go to work for you!  (Plus you can use the space for other more important things--like storing that collection of beer cans!)

Thanks for reading!