MUSICIANS’ POLL: Tell Me About Your FIRST TIME! ;-)

Can we talk about your FIRST TIME???

Your first time releasing your own CD, that is! I’m working on a new FREE eReport for musicians making their first CD, so I’m polling the musician community to learn their troubles and tricks! If you’d like to share your tips in my upcoming eReport, please share them in the short 9 questions survey, along with your website and social media info so I can feature your story!

Survey Questions:
* What best describes what you do (singer/songwriter, producer, etc)?
* How many CDs have you released (as a solo artist, or as part of a band)?
* If you haven’t released your first CD yet, what is your biggest challenge, frustration, or obstacle to making it happen?
* If you are CURRENTLY working toward releasing your first independent CD, how long have you been working on it so far?
* If you HAVE released your first CD already, what was your biggest challenge, frustration, or obstacle at the time? How did you overcome it?
* If you have 2 or more CDs already, how long did it take to complete your first CD?
* If you HAVE released your first CD already, what is your #1 challenge or frustration as a musician NOW?
* How big is your current fan email list?
* If you have released a CD before, what advice or tip would you offer a newbie?

CLICK HERE TO COMPLETE SURVEY!

Thanks,
Carla

Photo Credit: Halo Virgin

Next CLH Gig: Musical Residency at Word Up Bookstore in Washington Heights NYC!

I know – it’s been quiet on the musical front for me lately, but I have a slew of gigs coming up. My next performance will be at Washington Heights’ Word Up Community Bookstore on Thursday, May 3rd. What’s even cooler is that I won’t just be performing on that Thursday, but for the next 8 Thursdays after that. In other words, my first MUSICAL RESIDENCY!!!

What’s even cool than that is that I’ll be livestreaming these gigs, and filming the pilot for a new TV Show!! Lots of things cooking over here!

Stay tuned!!

Book cover design by CDS, from Word Up Bookstore’s “Voices: Our Young People Speak” program

Introducing Summer Business School!

For the past two months, I have been steadily working on a new venture, Summer Business School

Summer Business School is an 8-week online marketing course created to teach entrepreneurs and small business owners how to market their business online.

As it’s Summertime, this course offers convenient course modules, available in audio, video, and written form, so you can take the lessons with you on your smartphone or iPod. There will be a weekly group call, which will be recorded and available as an mp3 replay. There is also an online forum so participants can get direct help from me, as well as other coursemates. There is power in community, and we will BRING IT!

The promotional website at SummerBusinessSchool.com is what’s called a “Product Launch” site, which will feature a series of free tutorial videos offering strategies that you can use in your business right now. The “cutting edge” technology involved in building this site has enabled many online marketers to automate building their list, and selling products, and I’m excited to be using it to launch this online course.

As announced in the first tutorial video, I’m holding a video contest for a consultation package. Online video is a great way to bring exposure for your business, so I’m daring you all to make one!

50 spots in Summer Business School will be available for sale during the “launch period” of July 20-27th only, but in the meantime check out the video tutorials at http://SummerBusinessSchool.com. If you like these fun videos, you’ll LOVE the course!!

Promo for Musician’s Roadmap to Facebook & Twitter

Happy March!

Still can’t believe that this book is here! The Musician’s Roadmap to Facebook and Twitter by me and Ariel Hyatt is chock-full on info on social media strategies that you can apply TODAY!

Here’s one of our promo videos from Ariel’s Sound Advice TV:

Learn more about the book at The Musician’s Roadmap to Facebook & Twitter

I’ll be chatting on The School of Music Industry Podcast on Wed, Feb 23rd

This Wednesday morning, Feb 23rd at 11:30am EST, I’m being interviewed on the School of Music Industry Podcast. I’ll be sharing tips from the new book, The Musician’s Guide to Facebook and Twitter, and talking about musicians as solo entrepreneurs.

LaToya “ElectrKPrincess” Jackson

About The School of Music Industry:
Electronic Dance Music songwriter, LaToya “ElectrKPrincess” Jackson, gives an inside look at what it takes to really make it in the music industry with the “School of the Music Industry” revolution through digital media and technology.

The School of the Music Industry is an innovative concept that gives aspiring musicians an inside look on what it really takes to make it in the music industry. Get tips from artists, producers, songwriters and industry executives on the ins and outs of the industry. They all stop by the School of the Music Industry to share their stories, struggles and give insight on making it!

Tune in to the live stream of the show at:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/somi/2011/02/23/special-guest-carla-lynne-hall

Visit the School of the Music Industry on BlogTalk Radio

The Musician’s Roadmap to Facebook and Twitter – Ta Daa!!

Wow! Can’t believe it’s here! The first printing of The Musician’s Roadmap to Facebook and Twitter: Your Complete Guide to Getting Liked, Followed and Heard by me and Ariel Hyatt is here! It’s really here!

Our first batch of printed books has arrived, and we’re getting it out to the early adopter musicians who bought the first available copies our book at TAXI Road Rally last November.

We’re keeping our eyes peeled for Facebook’s updates, and we’ll revise as needed. The book will soon be available for online purchase, as well as at lectures that Ariel and I will be giving, and we’re so excited!!!

Carla on Joyce Barrie & Friends Internet Show!

On today’s Joyce Barrie & Friends show at 11am, I’ll be speaking on

“How to Win Friends and Influence People Using Social Media” – Of course this totally feeds into my new book with Ariel Hyatt, The Musician’s Roadmap to Facebook & Twitter: Your Complete Guide to Being Liked, Followed, and Heard

Tune in at http://BlogTalkRadio.com/JoyceBarrie where you can also log into the live chat room.

About Joyce Barrie & Friends:
Stimulating talk, news you can use and ways to stay home, have FUN and make more money. Motivation, inspiration, and education. Positive, happy thoughts to improve your life, health, and finances. Take positive actions to create a gratifying lifestyle. Life Lessons from me, your host, Joyce Barrie, straight from the Coach’s Corner and some valuable insights and specific recommendations about having a lucrative, home business. And not to be missed, our special friend(s)each and every day to motivate and inspire you to have what you want in ALL areas of your life.

Introducing the New Rock Star Life Lessons Logo!

TA-DAA!!! Thanks to all of you who voted and helped me choose, I’m happy to unveil my new Rock Star Life Lessons logo! This logo was designed by Adi Ramdhan, a talented graphic designer from Indonesia, who submitted original designs to my logo contest at 99Designs.com. The logo contest attracted 177 entries, and it wasn’t easy to choose (which is why I needed your help).

Over the next few months, this blog will become less about me, and more about YOU, the indie musician. The podcast will soon be launched, as well as a few new books and courses. I’ll be moving more of my personal stories to another blog (Yes, another blog! ;-)) to have more of a separation of church and state, so I can refocus on my music activities. After all of my internet marketing lessons and experiences, I’m whittling everything down to two blogs and newsletters. This will enable me to organize my music and music marketing activities into a better experience for you.

I want to do another CD, but I feel like I have to get my online house in order first. But now that the new logos are ready, and my new indie musician list is building quickly, I know that I’ll soon be done with this particular overhaul, and return to making and performing music the way I want.

Thanks so much for your support for the past few months. I couldn’t have done this without you.

I also have to give a shout out of thanks to Chris Wright, my sound editing whiz for the upcoming RSLL podcasts, as well as marketing interns Courtney Bernat and Andres Moreira. I’ve learned the hard way that I cannot (and should not) do it all myself, and I’m grateful for their help, dedication and hard work.

I also have to give a special shout out to Jeffrey Paul Bobrick, my ace, for honest feedback, and hooking me up with those interns. Geno Talerico gets love for all the support and hugs he gives unconditionally. Much gratitude goes to my spiritual mastermind partners CharLena Pearson-Fulcher and Shelia Hutson who have lovingly held my vision, and helped pray it into reality.

Last, but not least, Ariel Hyatt gets Super Kudos for being an awesome role model, peer mentor, client, friend, and all-round cool person.

I’d also like to thank the Academy… sorry, getting carried away there! Seriously, there is no such thing as a self-made success, and I am grateful for everyone who helped me get this far. THANK YOU!!!

Let me know how you like the new logo, and which music marketing topics you’re interested in. I’m ready for you!!!

My Next NYC Gig: March 31st at SUGAR BAR

I’m returning to SUGAR BAR!!!

Taken at my last Sugar Bar gig on Sept 23, 2009

This lovely Upper West Side music venue and restaurant is owned by legendary songwriting duo Ashford & Simpson (“Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”, “Reach Out and Touch (Somebody’s Hand)”, “Solid (As a Rock)”, “You’re All I Need to Get By”), and I’m excited to be performing there again.

Nearest subway stop to Sugar Bar:
West 72nd Street Station; Trains: 1, 2, 3

For dinner reservations, call (212) 579-0222

March 31st – Carla Lynne Hall plays Ashford & Simpson’s SUGAR BAR

Online Music Marketing for Indie Musicians

Online music marketing is one of my specialties, and I’ve created a new dedicated blog (yes, another one ;-)) at Online-MusicMarketing.com to showcase my articles on the subject, as well as become the new online home for my music marketing specialist work.

This new site is currently under construction, and will eventually take the place of all the other music business related blogs that I have floating out there in the blogosphere. I’ll be consolidating all of the various online music marketing content that I have on this site, and I’ll eventually delete the rest. Future plans include a new newsletter and e-courses for musicians, and I’m very excited!

Best to keep my online music marketing issues in one basket, as opposed to scattering them around. I’ll keep you posted.

Check out Online Music Marketing at Online-MusicMarketing.com