My Experience at Hotel Carmel in Santa Monica Beach, CA

Posted on November 17, 2011 by Jason Houck

As many of you know I attended a social media conference just over a week ago in Los Angeles. Since this was my first time visiting the area, I decided to arrive 2 days early and check out the Santa Monica Beach area with my friend Nicole Rosen. In searching weeks before arriving in the area, I was on the hunt for a boutique hotel that was inviting and made me feel at home.

I found that home away from home and it was Hotel Carmel, located just 1.5 blocks from the Santa Monica Beach, Pier and Pacific Park.

Once arriving at Hotel Carmel, we were greeted by very welcoming valet staff that took our bags and lead us into the beautiful, warm, rich feeling lobby where the front desk staff made us feel at home. Not to mention, the exquisite decor found throughout.

After checking in, hotel staff kindly lead us to our room. Upon walking into our room, we were amazed at the layout and the beautiful style of wooden furnishings. The room came complete with a separate living and bedroom with work desk and flat screen TV on each wall.

After waking up the next morning from experiencing our room, we felt so refreshed and like we had never left home. For the duration of our stay, we received constant attention from all the hotel staff ensuring our stay was the best ever. Nicole and I thank you Hotel Carmel and your staff for a superb hotel experience. The location of the hotel was in the perfect location as we were able to walk 1 block to Third Street Promenade to enjoy shopping, Starbucks coffee and experience Santa Monica Beach at it’s finest. Evidence is clearly shown that the hotel owners take pride in making everyone’s visit a special and memorable one.
Thanks again!

Wordless Wednesday: The Sights I Discovered Walking Downtown L.A.

Posted on November 16, 2011 by Jason Houck

Hikers Paradise on Hollywood Hills in California

Posted on November 14, 2011 by Jason Houck

I had the pleasure of visiting the Los Angeles area a week ago to attend a social media and blogging conference. After the conference was over, I decided to spend an extra day checking out the Hollywood area. While having coffee at a local coffee shop in West Hollywood, I asked my server, “Where is the best place to check out the Hollywood sign?” My server replied with, “Hollywood Hills Loop of course.”

I then set out on my journey to the Hollywood Hills Loop. The Hollywood Hills Loop is a 4.5 mile hike up hill and starts at Griffith Park’s ridge. As I began to walk up hill, I immediately felt like I was in a desert while still being in the city.

I was greeted by a beautiful presence of the moon and spectacular views of the surrounding downtown LA and Hollywood areas. The time had finally came when it began to get dark and I began to reach my destination of capturing the Hollywood sign. Little did I know I would find a new paradise in Hollywood while being able to experience hiking in a desert like setting with tranquility and peaceful city views around me.

Thank you Hollywood California for the amazing discovery of a hikers paradise.

Tips For Networking at BlogWorld & New Media Expo LA – #BWELA

Posted on October 27, 2011 by Jason Houck

With the world’s largest Social Media and Blog conference, (BlogWorld & New Media Expo LA), coming up next week, networking will be a major part of what an individual does while attending. As many of you know that have attended BlogWorld in the past, networking creates brand exposure resulting in possible clients for your business, along with learning valuable information to see brand and blog growth. It is imperative to take advantage of all networking events during the conference to see success. Whether you have attended before or this will be your first time, I am here to give you tips on how to create success while networking.

Leave your troubles or problems outside the door. Enter with a smile, be energetic, positive and outgoing.
When someone is speaking with you, give that person your entire focus. LISTEN!
BE a person that others will like. Be genuine. Be YOU.
Give and connect. Be generous, people will notice and respect you for your kind nature.
Plan ahead. Always have an idea of what the goal is for each event you attend. Keeps you and others on task as well as staying focused and achieving your expected outcome.
Never “schmooze” on or at someone. Be genuine in your interactions. Builds trust and YOU as a brand.
Be genuine and authentic, build trust and relationships, and see how you can help others.
Become known as a powerful resource for others. People turn to you for ideas, questions, etc. Keeps you visible.
Ask open ended questions. Opens up the discussion and shows listeners that you are interested.
Have a clear understanding of what you do. Be able to answer, “What makes you unique from others in the same field?”
Take advanatage of social networking. Creates new paths to communicate and share information.
Tap into your passions. Engaging in activities with other like minded people makes the conversation easier.
If you are scared to network, the best way to overcome that fear is by taking risks. By taking that risk, you are breaking the ice of another individual that may be just as uncomfortable as you.
After the conference, follow up with a thank you card to people you had direct contact with. Include something from the discussion. Show your networkers and new connections that you are ready to take action and care.

It is very important to keep in mind when networking during BlogWorld to take advantage of every opportunity possible. The results from networking events can have a tremendous impact on the future of you, your blog and brand. How you choose to network is your choice but encompassing the tips I have conveyed above will ensure your networking experience at BlogWorld & New Media Expo LA will be a successful one.

See ya in LA!

Jason Houck

Does Your Content Have Power?

Posted on October 24, 2011 by Jason Houck

As we all know, content is King and helps define why we blog, use Twitter and Facebook. It is important to create our content to encompass our niche and give your audience the information they are looking for.

A great way to help you decide if your content is being developed in a positive way is to ask yourself , “Is my content valuable with direction?”

Below I will share 6 ways to ensure that your content is valuable and directional.

Make your content powerful and strong enough for someone to want to share it
Use content that is up to date
Stick with content you understand and believe in. No need to impress someone in a fake way.
Use detailed content, paint a picture with words. Just because we know what it means doesn’t mean everyone else does.
Use web links that are informative and reliable
Content that steers someone in the right direction of success

The main point I am trying to convey is when developing content develop it in a way that everyone understands and sees worth in to help give them answers and information they are looking for. If you do this you will gain trust and keep your audience engaged and coming back for more.

Always remember to never step outside your comfort zone in creating content. It’s not who your are and your audience will sense it. For example, If you’re niche and audience revolves around content that helps a grocery shopper become more savvy using coupons, they may not want to hear about how is the best way to please a man or woman in bed.

If looking to expand your content to encompass another topic, ask your audience if it’s something they are interested in. Do this by just asking the question, creating a poll or even creating a blog post.

Don’t get me wrong. It is okay to occasionally share content that you may find funny or relaxing. After all, we all need a good laugh or a day to unwind.

Content is powerful as a King. It not only helps us grow as a person but helps us see success and grow as a whole. Just remember to embrace your power when developing content. If we do, we all become a winner.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this subject. Also, feel free to add in a comment what you may think I left out.

The Mate Selection Question

Posted on October 18, 2011 by Jason Houck

We all want to find the right mate right? When getting to know a potential guy or girl, do you ask them a certain question to help make the process easier? I have came up with some great questions for you to put into action for your next mate selection.

What do you look for in a relationship?
How would you capture my heart?
Do you know the value of a date?
Are you in touch with your inner child?
Do you have a clear path in life?
Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years?
Are you good at conveying your needs?
What do you do for fun?
Do you like surprises?
What do you consider the most romantic date?

These are just a few of hundreds of questions I can think of to ask in determining the right mate. Now, I want to hear from you. What questions do you ask? Do you even ask a question? Leave your answer in a comment. Have a great day!

Fun Fact Friday: 10/14/2011

Posted on October 14, 2011 by Jason Houck

Are you ready for another week of Fun Fact Friday here at Weigh Your Mind? Let’s get started!

A dragonfly called the globe skinner has the longest migration of any insect—11,000 miles back and forth across the Indian Ocean.
Drivers kill more deer than hunters.
According to the American Society for Microbiology, 90% of women and 75% of men wash their hands after using a public restroom.
Fidgeting can burn about 350 calories a day.
Most of the dust underneath your bed is actually your own dead skin.
When glass breaks, the cracks move at speeds of up to 3,000 miles per hour.
The roar that we hear when we place a seashell next to our ear is not the ocean, but rather the sound of blood surging through the veins in the ear.
You burn 26 calories in a one minute kiss.
The average person eats almost 1500 pounds of food a year.
The majority of suicides occur on a Monday.

I hope you have enjoyed another week of Fun Fact Friday. Which fact was your favorite? Be sure to let me know in a comment. Happy TGIF!

The Verizon Wireless Switch

Posted on October 13, 2011 by Jason Houck

As many of you know, I live my passion on Social Media promoting others, whether it be brands, individuals or blogs. Today, I wanted to take a unique approach by you weighing in with your thoughts. Are you a current Sprint or AT&T mobile customer? If so, are you looking for a reason to switch to Verizon Wireless?

I am not a current Verizon customer but hope to be in the near future. The reason of this post is to gain thoughts from current Verizon Wireless customers on why a person should switch if he or she is currently with another provider. Is it the coverage, packages, phone selection, data speed or the new announcement of offering the iPhone 4S?

If so, I invite you to weigh in with your thoughts as a current Verizon customer on why others should make The Verizon Wireless Switch.

All you have to do is tell me in a comment or tweet me at @JasonPromotesU with your reason and I will add your tweet to the post for others to see.

Let the exposure and persuasion of The Verizon Wireless Switch begin.