Is it Good to Be Different?

When I was in elementary school, my naturally curly hair was not considered an asset. Girls were supposed to have long straight hair with barrettes. Not this chicken! No matter how much I begged, my mother refused to fix my hair like the rest of the girls. My nickname was Phyllis Diller. Oh, and because my name is Dale I was on the boys registration list in second grade instead of the girls.In high school, we had moved to the country so my parents could buy land to start a campground. The percentage of kids planning to go to college was quite small and as a result, it was not "cool" to be smart. I was a nerd. One of my sister's friends told her they heard her little brother was an honor student (there goes that name again.)In college, I was enrolled in engineering school, and women were a minority. Some companies were giving preferential hiring treatment to women and minorities and it caused some tension between the guys and the gals. I always felt I earned what I got since I worked hard and kept a good grade average, but the tension was still there. Oh, and I got an invitation to join a fraternity (not a sorority) when I enrolled. My sister said I should show up at the house and see what they said. Ha, ha, ha.I enjoyed sewing and when I graduated college and had more free time, I made most of my own clothes. Nobody made fun of me, but it did make me different. I think that was the first time being different actually got me respect. From then on in my professional career, being different finally became as asset. My name still gave me trouble sometimes. I signed up for the gym at one company and they gave me a locker in the men's room (I got it changed.)Now that I am in network marketing and working on personal branding, I believe it is really an asset to be different! In his book "Endless Referrals", Bob Burg talks about how sending a handwritten note to people you meet at a networking event makes you stand apart from the crowd. I have been attending these events for 1 1/2 years and I have never received a note in the mail! I have received a few emails, that is all. So I can truly see how it would make you stand out, especially with the language he tells you to use.How else can you stand out?Care about people, be a "Go Giver"
Be honest, open, and transparent
Be respectful! Don't be an aggressive salesperson
Be persistent, in a good way
Be approachable, not arrogant. Drop the ego!I think if more people were different in these ways in the MLM industry, the industry wouldn't have such a bad rap! Greed and ego have taken their toll.So don't be afraid to stand apart from the crowd, as long as you're on the high road!