Blog A Business Card

Photos by A. Pachon, Photographer for Linchpins 2nd Annual Meetup With “Free Prize Inside” From Seth Godin

2012-02-07T09:44:00.001-05:00

Thank you A. Pachon for your wonderful photos of our Linchpins Meetup Celebration on February 1, 2012!

NYC Indie Film, Photography, Actors, Writers & Art Creators

2011-12-08T13:00:00.005-05:00

Let's meetup, hangout and explore the possibilities of this new beginning!

"Great innovations, powerful interactions and real art are often produced by someone in a state of wonder. Looking around with stars in your eyes and amazement at the tools that are available to you can inspire generosity and creativity and connection." -Seth Godin

I have a personal vision for this meetup group and look forward to sharing it with all of you!

But that vision is not complete without hearing your expectations and what you would like to see happen here.

Hope to meetup and speak with you on Wednesday, December 14th!

When:
December 14, 2011 (Wednesday)
6-8pm

Where:
Sony Atrium
550 Madison Avenue
(Between 55th & 56th Streets)
New York, NY

Capacity: 15

Admission: $5

Courtesy Refreshments Will Be Served.

Raffle:

Professional portrait and wedding photographer MARK KUMAR has donated a gift certificate valued at $500 and the lucky winner will have their social media headshot photo taken by him free-of-charge!

Mark is a talented and skilled photographer that I recommend highly!

To see fabulous examples of his work: (please forgive my prejudiced opinion as you'll see why I say this when go to http://www.urlmk.com/290l7P. (Also, you can read my glowing recommendation below.)

Many thanks to Mark Kumar from all of us for his generous and powerful showing of support for our NYC Indie Film, Photography, Actors, Writers & Art Creators Meetup!!!

___________________

FANTASTIC AND WONDERFUL!!

Dear Mark,

Thank you so very much for my fantastic photos. At first sight, I can only describe them as wonderfully “organic”!

Looking at them I feel comfortable about who I am because they are so visually natural.

While taking the photos you guided me for each shot instead of posing me and I think that makes a world of difference in the results.

Thanks also for making the entire experience enjoyable and relaxing.

I am looking forward to using them on all my social media networking sites. I will, without reservation, recommend you to anyone who is in need of a hugely talented, skilled, professional photographer.

Many thanks again!

Best wishes,

Zorka Kovacevich
Certified Professional Social Media/Internet Marketer
Serving Small Businesses & Artists
Owner, Blog A Business Card
New York, NY USA
Web: http://blogabusinesscard.blogspot.com

Linchpins 2nd Annual Meetup With “Free Prize Inside” From Seth Godin

2011-12-08T11:28:00.006-05:00

Linchpins! Please Mark Your Calendar:

Change of Date To Wednesday, February 1, 2011

It's a busy holiday season and many of you are unable to attend tomorrow's event with such a short notice and previous commitments.

We hear you so we're changing the date to
Wednesday, February 1, 2012 (same place, same time).

Anyone who has already confirmed their reservation and paid the $5 contribution toward expenses will receive an email today asking whether or not they wish to keep their reservation or would prefer an immediate refund.

Please take moment to mark your calender and RSVP for the new date.

Best wishes to you and yours for a happy holiday! -Zorka

CLICK TO RSVP: Linchpins: We're doing it again for the 2nd year in a row and invite you to come and celebrate with us.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you're determined to grow a successful business you're going to love Seth Godin!

Check him out if you don't know him & find out why becoming a Linchpin is the better, more profitable way to market your business and live a happier life!

Linchpins 2nd Annual Meetup With “Free Prize Inside” From Seth Godin

A generous gift from SETH GODIN has been donated for our raffle: his AUTOGRAPHED vinyl LP, We Are All Weird (The Myth of Mass and The End of Compliance).

This is a new sealed rare collectible which is not available for purchase (you can only get it from Seth Godin and we got it!).

It's a limited edition copy (only 250 were pressed), and if you would like to learn more about it just copy the title into your browser and you will find many write ups about it.

Where:
Sony Atrium, 550 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10022
(Between 55th & 56th Streets)

When:
Wednesday, February 1, 2011
6:30pm - 8pm (Or later - it's a public venue and we can stay until closing time)

Admission:
$5 with On-line RSVP
Or, $10 cash at door (Admitted only if seats are available)

CLICK TO RSVP: Linchpins: We're doing it again for the 2nd year in a row and invite you to come and celebrate with us.

EVENT Details:

--Donated Prizes For Our Raffle Have Been Received:

A generous gift from SETH GODIN has been donated: his AUTOGRAPHED vinyl LP, We Are All Weird (The Myth of Mass and The End of Compliance) will be raffled.

This is a new sealed rare collectible which is not available for purchase (you can only get it from Seth Godinand we got it!).

It's a limited edition copy (only 250 were pressed), and if you would like to learn more about it just copy the title into your browser and you will find many write ups about it.

AND.... another lucky winner will receive:

Professional portrait and wedding photographer MARK KUMAR has given us a gift certificate valued at $500 and the winner will have their social media headshot photo taken by him free-of-charge.

Mark is a talented and skilled photographer that I recommend highly!

To see fabulous examples of his work (please forgive my prejudiced opinion as you'll see why I say this when go to http://www.urlmk.com/290l7P).

Many thanks to Seth Godin and Mark Kumar from all of us for their generous and powerful showing of support of our Linchpins Celebration!!!

MORE about the event:

~~~~Name Tags will be provided

~~~~Courtesy refreshments will be served

~~~~Great conversation will be had!

~~~~Bring plenty of business cards to share and to enter the raffle

~~~~Capacity: Limited to only 30 attendees (maximum)

MORE... A Quick Message from Co-Organizer, Zorka Kovacevich:

Dear Linchpins!

Amazing! it's almost a year since I announced this 2nd annual celebration that will take place in just a few short days from now and many of you soon thereafter responded "YES" that you would be attending.
What a year of incredible opportunities it's been for all of us since last December 7, 2010! Between OWS, the grumpy economy, and a mixed bag of unbelievable Linchpin stirrings along with major unrest throughout the world and the USA we are still here, working and playing hard and doing our damn best to make sure that we lead stellar Linchpin lives.

For years, Seth Godin has challenged us to dare and dig deep into our brains and guts and go after the brass ring. With a simple statement in his book, Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?, he shines a mega-torch for anyone living in a trance to take responsibility and shine:

"You have brilliance in you, your contribution is valuable, and the art you create is precious. Only you can do it, and you must. I'm hoping you'll stand up and choose to make a difference."

A definite A-Ha! moment for many and most! Certain to make anyone sit up straight if you've been doubtful about the possibilities! And it's just one example from many of his crystal clear confirmations about what we innately know is valuable and true!

I hope very much that you will be able to attend and that we will have a terrific conversation about these changing times, this amazing writer, speaker and forecaster of all things possible, Seth Godin!

I look forward to seeing you at the meetup!

Cheers & best wishes,

Zorka

This Event Is Jointly Organized & Hosted By:

Zorka Kovacevich, Owner, Blog A Business Card

&

Sahdev Thakur, CEO, Pixwand Inc.

Zorka and Sahdev are New York City-based Linchpin providers of website-construction, social media marketing, networking, publicity and promotion services serving startups, small businesses, artists and not-for-profit organizations.

CLICK TO RSVP: Linchpins: We're doing it again for the 2nd year in a row and invite you to come and celebrate with us.

Join Our Linkedin Networking Group:
Worldwide Linchpins Link in New York:

Membership is Free: http://urlmk.com/KgHs49

Worldwide Linchpins Link in New York, a Linkedin group is for Linchpins, artists, entrepreneurs, and professionals from all industries -- worldwide who are looking to network with like-minded people who strive for uniqueness, abhor mediocrity and know how to ship it!

Join us on Linkedin and spark a conversation, share your business savvy, and stay in the loop with Linchpin happenings, resources and tools that matter the most to you.

Registration is Linchpin-Easy: With one click and NO questions asked! To join us on Linkedin, go to: http://urlmk.com/KgHs49

Thank you Seth Godin!

(Linchpin & Indispensable Man)
I Recommend A Daily Dose of Seth: If you're not already signed up for his blog (I don't start my day without it!), check it out here: http://www.urlmk.com/ers8aQ

CLICK TO RSVP: Linchpins: We're doing it again for the 2nd year in a row and invite you to come and celebrate with us.

Social Media: The "Tic Tac Toe" Method

2011-11-10T13:25:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the first "Blog A Business Card" Blog entry! I am pleased to present to you, Guest Blogger, Bryan Ricard and his extremely well thought-out piece, "Social Media: The "Tic Tac Toe" Method". Here, he outlines a great strategy whether you're contemplating your next, or your very first social media campaign! Social media participation is fun and Bryan certainly lays out the ground work for how to play the game to win it by using these three important and free tools!

Thank you Bryan Ricard for a truly delightful and insightful article!--Zorka Kovacevich

See below to learn more about Bryan.

Social Media: The "Tic Tac Toe" Method

The game of Tic Tac Toe, or Naughts and Crosses, has been around for a very long time and is a key part of my strategy to pass time during not-so-exciting classes. While I’m sure you know how to play Tic Tac Toe, what you may not know is how it relates to your social media strategy and gaining a respectable on-line presence.

Whether you’re just getting started or you’re not seeing the results you’d like, I present to you the Tic Tac Toe Method.

In order to be victorious in this game you must get your 3 X’s, or O’s, in a straight line on the 3×3 grid before your opponent:

When it comes to building your on-line identity, your opponent is yourself.
Don’t worry about competition, worry about your own practices hindering your progress.

Let’s say you’re playing as O’s (only because I don’t want to put 3 X’s in a row here and let Google get the wrong idea about this post).

What do your 3 O’s represent?

Blog
LinkedIn
Twitter

Yes, there are many platforms and resources to consider when putting yourself on the social media map, but in my opinion these three are the most effective when used together.

The following is merely an outline of how you can create a strong on-line presence.

Please understand that social media is ever-changing and there is no one right way to approach it; experiment and find out what works best for you.

1. Blog

Use your blog to discuss topics that are important to you and that you are passionate about.

Why?

It will allow others to get to know you through your writing and they can also converse with you on topics that interest them as well.

Your blog, or website, should also be your anchor on the web; your brand hub. Don’t just blog to show that you have experience or expertise in some industry, do it to get people involved and get them thinking.

Additionally, link to other pages, such as an About Me page or a portfolio, because you never know who will want to know more and contact you.

2. LinkedIn

First and foremost, before providing any links to your LinkedIn profile, fill it out!

LinkedIn even gives you a status bar to tell you if you are only 75% complete in filling out your profile. Don’t just list employers, give insight to what you did there. Give a brief summary about yourself and inform people of what your specialties are.

Why?

LinkedIn is the professional Facebook. I see it as a glorified resume. It allows others, potential clients or employers, to learn about your business and you.

Join groups and follow companies!

Why?

By joining groups that interest you or are in your particular industry, you are that much closer to connecting with people you can relate to, learn from, or teach.

You are also showing people who view your profile your willingness to connect. And by following companies, especially for those who are on a career-search, you get e-mail updates about what’s going on within the company, new hires and departures; very useful.

Answer questions!

Why?

By participating in LinkedIn Answers you are not just helping others out, but you are displaying your expertise, ideas, and personality to people you may want to connect with.

3. Twitter

Here is a brief set of rules to go by on Twitter: Use WeFollow and Twellow to find people you want to connect with, tweet about and link to things that your followers will enjoy or find interesting, give credit where credit is due, don’t be a robot tweeter…converse!

Why?

Twitter is an amazing platform. The number one activity you should be doing is connecting and conversing with others.

Explore twitter directories and search for the people you’d want to talk to (e.g., if you are into branding you might want to search for brand managers).

Make use of Twitter’s search engine. If you just saw a funny commercial, search for that company’s name + the term commercial and join or start the conversation. It’s amazing, but Twitter is as simple as it is powerful – connect and converse!

Now what do you do when you have your 3 O’s in a row?

That’s right, with a victorious smirk on your face you connect them all with a line. In the Tic Tac Toe Method, this line represents your collective inbound marketing efforts.

With your 3 O’s in a row, you want to make sure they overlap each other. Your Blog, LinkedIn and Twitter accounts are not to be separate identities. Blend them all together and cross-promote when you see fit.

Use your blog to write about what interests you and allow readers to get to know you more than they can on LinkedIn

Use your blog to write about topics that need more than 140 characters
Use Twitter and Linkedin (when relevant) to inform people of new posts on your blog
Use Twitter to connect with your LinkedIn connections on a more personal basis
Use Twitter to engage with your blog readers and subscribers while actively connecting with potential clients/readers/followers
Use LinkedIn Groups and Answers to show off your expertise and show why you are a valuable part to your industry
Use all three to tell people all the ways in which they can contact you

Final Tips

Be Brief – Attention spans are extremely short when it comes to social media. Brevity in your writing takes practice, but will yield greater results.

Be Humble – It’s important to be confident, but no one likes a bragger.

Be Yourself – Don’t hide your personality – it is a driving force in making your content enjoyable and your image respectable.

Here is a list of link resources that will help you learn more:

LinkedIn

Twitter

LinkedIn Answers

Facebook

Twitter: WeFollow

Twitter: Twellow

Free Inbound (Internet) Marketing Course

ABOUT BRYAN RICHARD in his own words:

"A motivated college graduate who aims to exceed expectations at every opportunity.

With a strong passion for branding, advertising, marketing, and social media, I want to use my creativity and diligence to be an influential member of the marketing industry.

I have held four different intern positions that have varied in responsibilities, work environment, and job focus. These experiences greatly expanded my knowledge in different areas of marketing and contributed to the sharpening of many skills.

Played a large role in the design, presentation, and execution of two booth exhibits for the AMA's National Collegiate Conference ('09, '10).

Created, implemented, and maintained Rhode Island College's AMA Chapter website.

Experienced with multiple business simulations; Capsim, LINKS and SABRE. Collectively, these simulations feature and challenge teams on many aspects of business and marketing. Performance includes 3rd place honors at the AMA's 2010 National Collegiate Conference."

To learn more, visit Bryan's website: http://bryanricard.com/about-bryan/

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I CAN HELP: Sometimes you just can't do it all by yourself. If you need help with your writing, blogging, web/blog creation and maintenance, or assistance with your social media efforts, I can help. Write (or call 1+ 347-291-1367) to discuss potential, possibilities and prices: ZorkaKovacevich@aol.com

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