SOW 48: Podcast Production & Marketing Techniques with Alex Haddox Founder of Palladium Education

In this first episode of our series on podcasting, Jason Hartman hears founder of Palladium Education, Inc, Alex Haddox’s story of how he began podcasting to enhance his business. One of Alex’s favorite things to do was radio shows and was in public relations for many years. He began marketing his seminars through podcasts and building his brand. Alex currently has over 200 podcasts. He explains how he tracked downloads, noting that it takes a while to build up a listening audience. He learned how to engage the audience and to fulfill their desire for more episodes. He came up with the idea of doing a Quick Tip every other episode. As he posted these podcasts, his listening audience increased six-fold. He encourages consistency and diligence, explaining that having a passion for it, for the content, is very important for success. Alex calls podcasting a “long game.” He has his own equipment, does his own editing and uploading, and has low overhead costs. By joining a podcasting network, Alex’s audience doubled. He explains the benefits of the podcast network, i.e. the support and rapport that is built, leading to a close knit group of podcasters. All in all, Alex has experienced great success with his podcasts, having never spent money on advertising for his show, and managing the process himself.

Alex Haddox’s diverse background led him to founding Palladium Education, Inc., Workplace Violence Prevention and Crisis Intervention Training. Mr. Haddox spent nearly a decade working for Amgen, Inc., one of the world’s largest multinational biotech firms, as a Senior Business Analyst and Senior eLearning Analyst. Among his many projects, he designed instructor-led and e-learning training modules for the Global Regulatory Affairs and Safety Education and Development department. Mr. Haddox was also the Product Manager and co-founder of the Symantec AntiVirus Research Center (SARC). He was considered one of the world’s leading computer virus experts, traveled worldwide on speaking engagements, and appeared on national television programs including Good Morning America, CNBC, the Discovery Channel and Fox News Network. He has been quoted in innumerable print publications from The New York Times to USA Today and was on the Advisory Board to the industry’s leading publication, “Virus Bulletin.”

Mr. Haddox is a skilled martial artist and self-defense instructor. He has nearly two decades of combined traditional martial arts training in multiple styles including American Kenpo, Hapkido and Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. Mr. Haddox also holds firearms instructor credentials from the National Rifle Association.

An accomplished author, Mr. Haddox has been published in peer-reviewed journals and continues to author columns on self-protection for Tae Kwon Do Times Magazine and World Wide Dojo.com. His latest book on personal security is Practical Home Security: A Guide to Safer Urban Living. He is the creator and host of a free weekly podcast called “Practical Defense” that has over 1.4 million downloads and is heard in over 135 countries.