Agents Growth Academy

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In this episode, Jim interviews Winston Smith, CEO of Bridge, a customer communications management software designed for independent insurance agents. Winston discusses the importance of agency owners working on their business rather than in it, and how Bridge can help them achieve this. He highlights the bottleneck that agency owners often face and explains how Bridge streamlines operations and provides tools for sales, marketing, and customer communication. Winston shares success stories and feedback from Bridge users, emphasizing the increase in revenue per employee as a key metric. He also discusses the role of Bridge as a companion to agency management systems and the importance of customer satisfaction. The episode concludes with Winston's advice to be true to oneself and the opportunities available in the insurance industry.

Takeaways

• Bridge is a customer communications management software designed for independent insurance agents, helping them work on their business rather than in it.
• Agency owners often become bottlenecks in their own businesses, hindering growth and scalability.
• Bridge provides an all-in-one solution for sales, marketing, and customer communication, streamlining operations and improving efficiency.
• Bridge offers features such as video recording, marketing automation, and personalized communication to enhance customer relationships.
• Success stories from Bridge users include increased revenue per employee and improved customer satisfaction.
• Bridge serves as a companion to agency management systems, focusing on communication and customer relationship management.

Resources From Winston 

Website 
LinkedIn
Google Calendar
Think-Cell
How Will You Measure Your Life? by Clay Christensen

About Winston

Winston Smith is the CEO of Bridge, a customer communications management software designed just for independent agents.

Winston came to Bridge after a decade on the carrier side of P&C. Prior to Bridge, Winston ran his own micro-Private Equity fund, Hammersmith Capital.

While on the carrier side, Winston was a general manager responsible for P&Ls across multiple states for the Safeco and Liberty Mutual brands (but he takes no responsibility for the 'LiMu Emu') and spent a LOT of time in the field with Safeco-appointed agencies (and is lucky enough to count many of them as friends).

He started his insurance career at AIG on Water Street in Lower Manhattan as an underwriter of Executive Lines for Financial Intuitions during the Great Recession.

Winston holds the CPCU and API designations, has an MBA from NYU Stern and his undergrad degree from Princeton. He lives in Johns Creek, GA with his wife and two kids.

ePayPolicy 
The simplest solution for insurance agents to collect credit card and ACH payments

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Chris Greene from Flood Insurance Guru shares what he's learned about creating the most robust library of content that is selling flood insurance like hotcakes. In fact, he created 1,500 videos in 1,500 days! He also discusses the importance of perfecting your processes so you can free up your time to "Wow" your customers.

3 Key Takeaways

• The most effective way to create content that sells insurance for you while you sleep is answering questions your clients and prospects constantly ask you.
• Creating consistent content positions you as an expert in your field.
• You need to perfect your processes so you can keep your customers engaged without you having to exert extra effort.

Resources From Chris

Website
YouTube
Facebook
LinkedIn
Munch AI
HubSpot
Building A Story Brand by Donald Miller
Marketing Made Simple by Donald Miller

About Chris

Chris Greene is the owner of the Flood Insurance Guru where they provide "Coverage For Now and Education for the Future." After buying a house in a flood zone 12 years ago and having a terrible experience with it Chris has spent the last 12 years helping property owners, real estate agents, real estate investors and business owners avoid the same thing he had to go through.

ePayPolicy 
The simplest solution for insurance agents to collect credit card and ACH payments

Send us a text

Today, Melissa Stallings shares the secret formula for growing her agency to one of the most respected all-female agencies in Georgia. It all comes down to the culture she's developed with her employees and the relationships she's developed with her community and her referral partners. Get ready to learn how you can grow your own book of business through culture and relationships.

3 Key Takeaways

• Melissa started out seeking balance in her own life, but ended up fostering it in her own staff, which is a BIG part of their culture.
• If you work hard to keep your employees, they will work hard to keep their jobs.
• The key to growing referral partners is focusing on revenue generating activities and not being willing to compromise on the standard of client you want to have referred to you.

Resources From Melissa

Website
Facebook
LinkedIn
Instagram
TickTock
InsuredMine
The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman

About Melissa

Meet Melissa L. Stallings, a trailblazer who forged her path by establishing Stallings Insurance Agency in the fall of 2008. She founded the agency on three core values – Positive, Polished, and Commitment while creating a brand rooted in the values of Family, Faith, and Fun.

Beyond the confines of her agency, Missy is an integral participant in industry and community circles, affiliating with organizations such as IIAG, SNA, IAOA, SecureRisk, and more in addition to actively engaging with the Douglas County and Carroll County Chambers. Her affinity for like-minded peers fosters enduring relationships that fuel her agency's success, while her philanthropic spirit drives her involvement in numerous charitable initiatives annually, underscoring her commitment to giving back to the community.

As Missy continues to inspire with her unwavering dedication, thriving agency, and genuine spirit, her story remains an embodiment of success, family values, and boundless possibilities.

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Get ready to learn the daily habits of million-dollar insurance agents that can help you take your insurance sales to the next level. These habits will help you stay focused and motivated every day. Join us as we dive into the routines of top-performing insurance agents and learn how you can implement these habits into your own daily routine to achieve success in your insurance career.

3 Key Takeaways

• Whether it’s fiction or nonfiction, reading will get your brain up and moving as well as provide you with topics of conversation and media posts; incorporate it into your day. 
• Develop deep relationships that will eventually turn into transactions with minimal effort. It’s as simple as sending a “This reminded me of you” text. 
• Calling someone is different from emailing or texting them. It’s now become the form of communication that feels special–utilize that!

Resources

⬇️ - [DOWNLOAD] - https://agentsgrowthacademy.com/value 🎥 - [VIDEO] - Insurance Producers: Do THIS To Skyrocket Your Sales - https://youtu.be/1BrHKg8foj8
🎬 - MOST RECENT VIDEOS: https://www.youtube.com/@AgentsGrowthAcademy/videos 🎥 - [VIDEO] - HOW TO BECOME A REMOTE INSURANCE AGENT: https://youtu.be/FkWqhKNXA2A 🎥 - [PLAYLIST] - MARKETING FOR INSURANCE AGENTS: https://bit.ly/43GjuxP 🎥 - [PLAYLIST] - CONTENT MARKETING FOR INSURANCE AGENTS: https://bit.ly/3qs75zv

🔔 - Subscribe for more tips just like this: https://bit.ly/43BmcEO

AGA PARTNERS

💰 - ePayPolicy, the simplest solution for insurance agents, carriers, brokers, MGAs, and premium finance companies to collect credit card and ACH payments: https://epaypolicy.referralrock.com/l/JIMSCHUBER35/

📦 - Marble Box, your virtual insurance processing team that lets you do the people stuff while we do the rest: https://bit.ly/3O1QdFB 

About

Jim Schubert is the CEO of Southern States Insurance, one of Georgia's largest independent insurance agencies. He is a nationally recognized author and podcast guest contributor appearing in Insurance Journal, Independent Agent Magazine, Insurance Business America Magazine, Best's Review, and Applied Systems.

Jim is a passionate advocate for small business owners, entrepreneurs, and independent insurance agents. He loves sharing ideas about agency growth, digital marketing, and the lost art of human interaction.

Jim is also the creator of Agents Growth Academy, an online resource for insurance agents and agency owners who want to take their growth to the next level. And when he needs to take a clarity break, he is either behind a camera lens in the great outdoors or teaching aspiring shutterbugs how to take beautiful nature photography at Schubert Photography.

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Discover the power of Jasper AI and learn how to crush your sales goals in this game-changing video! 🚀 In this Jasper AI tutorial, I’ll reveal the top hacks that will revolutionize your sales and marketing process and help you achieve your targets faster than ever before. 💥

3 Key Takeaways

• Compelling opening subject lines are KEY to get your readers to open emails; use Jasper AI to select the best shot!
• One of the simplest ways to engage a social media audience is to ask a question–up your question game to get people talking. 
• Consider implementing video titles that leave the viewer with questions in mind.

Resources
🎥 - [VIDEO] - Insurance AI: 5 Game Changing AI Tools for Insurance Agents - https://youtu.be/Z3sYqK-sVXQ

🎬 - MOST RECENT VIDEOS: https://www.youtube.com/@AgentsGrowthAcademy/videos 🎥 - [VIDEO] - HOW TO BECOME A REMOTE INSURANCE AGENT: https://youtu.be/FkWqhKNXA2A 🎥 - [PLAYLIST] - MARKETING FOR INSURANCE AGENTS: https://bit.ly/43GjuxP 🎥 - [PLAYLIST] - CONTENT MARKETING FOR INSURANCE AGENTS: https://bit.ly/3qs75zv

🔔 - Subscribe for more tips just like this: https://bit.ly/43BmcEO

AGA PARTNERS

💰 - ePayPolicy, the simplest solution for insurance agents, carriers, brokers, MGAs, and premium finance companies to collect credit card and ACH payments: https://epaypolicy.referralrock.com/l/JIMSCHUBER35/

📦 - Marble Box, your virtual insurance processing team that lets you do the people stuff while we do the rest: https://bit.ly/3O1QdFB 

About

Jim Schubert is the CEO of Southern States Insurance, one of Georgia's largest independent insurance agencies. He is a nationally recognized author and podcast guest contributor appearing in Insurance Journal, Independent Agent Magazine, Insurance Business America Magazine, Best's Review, and Applied Systems.

Jim is a passionate advocate for small business owners, entrepreneurs, and independent insurance agents. He loves sharing ideas about agency growth, digital marketing, and the lost art of human interaction.

Jim is also the creator of Agents Growth Academy, an online resource for insurance agents and agency owners who want to take their growth to the next level. And when he needs to take a clarity break, he is either behind a camera lens in the great outdoors or teaching aspiring shutterbugs how to take beautiful nature photography at Schubert Photography.

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I’m going to reveal some deadly mistakes that are holding you back from skyrocketing your insurance sales. 🚀💰 Don’t feel bad, you’re not the only insurance agent making these errors, and by avoiding them, you'll be ahead of the competition. So, buckle up and get ready to start selling insurance like never before!

3 Key Takeaways

• Set expectations for the time it will take to get a quote and review it.
• Set price expectations, it’s what both parties really want.
• Set incumbent expectations, your client needs to know what it looks like when their incumbent tries to keep them around.

Resources

🎬 - MOST RECENT VIDEOS: https://www.youtube.com/@AgentsGrowthAcademy/videos 

🎥 - [VIDEO] - HOW TO BECOME A REMOTE INSURANCE AGENT: https://youtu.be/FkWqhKNXA2A 

🎥 - [PLAYLIST] - MARKETING FOR INSURANCE AGENTS: https://bit.ly/43GjuxP 

🎥 - [PLAYLIST] - CONTENT MARKETING FOR INSURANCE AGENTS: https://bit.ly/3qs75zv 

🔔 - Subscribe for more tips just like this: https://bit.ly/43BmcEO

AGA PARTNERS

💰 - ePayPolicy, the simplest solution for insurance agents, carriers, brokers, MGAs, and premium finance companies to collect credit card and ACH payments: https://epaypolicy.referralrock.com/l/JIMSCHUBER35/

📦 - Marble Box, your virtual insurance processing team that lets you do the people stuff while we do the rest: https://bit.ly/3O1QdFB 

About

Jim Schubert is the CEO of Southern States Insurance, one of Georgia's largest independent insurance agencies. He is a nationally recognized author and podcast guest contributor appearing in Insurance Journal, Independent Agent Magazine, Insurance Business America Magazine, Best's Review, and Applied Systems.

Jim is a passionate advocate for small business owners, entrepreneurs, and independent insurance agents. He loves sharing ideas about agency growth, digital marketing, and the lost art of human interaction.

Jim is also the creator of Agents Growth Academy, an online resource for insurance agents and agency owners who want to take their growth to the next level. And when he needs to take a clarity break, he is either behind a camera lens in the great outdoors or teaching aspiring shutterbugs how to take beautiful nature photography at Schubert Photography.

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Ready to take your LinkedIn profile to the next level? In this video, we'll share 10 expert tips to help you optimize your LinkedIn profile and stand out from the crowd. Learn how to create a powerful profile summary, choose the perfect profile picture, and leverage LinkedIn marketing strategies to boost your professional network. 

3 Key Takeaways

• Use amazing visuals to look the part of a professional
• Make sure your info is up to date and ON POINT, people don’t like searching very long for who you are and what you do
• Telling stories gets viral posts, people are on social media to connect, and what’s the best way to connect with you…hearing YOUR STORIES

Resources

🎥 [VIDEO] - How To Make Your LinkedIn Post Go Viral: https://youtu.be/Tga5sODxHqQ 

🎥 - [PLAYLIST] - Marketing For Insurance Agents: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHPYmzrOJiE5S2-pwVmm9bqp4iV18Odhc 

⬇️ - [DOWNLOAD] - STORYTELLING FRAMEWORK: https://agentsgrowthacademy.com/storytelling 

🔔 - Subscribe for more tips just like this: https://bit.ly/43BmcEO

AGA PARTNERS

💰 - ePayPolicy, the simplest solution for insurance agents, carriers, brokers, MGAs, and premium finance companies to collect credit card and ACH payments: https://epaypolicy.referralrock.com/l/JIMSCHUBER35/

📦 - Marble Box, your virtual insurance processing team that lets you do the people stuff while we do the rest: https://bit.ly/3O1QdFB 

About

Jim Schubert is the CEO of Southern States Insurance, one of Georgia's largest independent insurance agencies. He is a nationally recognized author and podcast guest contributor appearing in Insurance Journal, Independent Agent Magazine, Insurance Business America Magazine, Best's Review, and Applied Systems.

Jim is a passionate advocate for small business owners, entrepreneurs, and independent insurance agents. He loves sharing ideas about agency growth, digital marketing, and the lost art of human interaction.

Jim is also the creator of Agents Growth Academy, an online resource for insurance agents and agency owners who want to take their growth to the next level. And when he needs to take a clarity break, he is either behind a camera lens in the great outdoors or teaching aspiring shutterbugs how to take beautiful nature photography at Schubert Photography.

#linkedin #linkedinmarketing #linkedinprofile

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In this video, we'll explore the key skills that every remote insurance agent needs to succeed in today's digital landscape. Learn how to effectively communicate with clients, manage your time, and leverage technology to close deals from the comfort of your home. Join us as we dive into the essential skills that will help you excel as a remote insurance agent and grow your book of business.

3 Key Takeaways

• How to prioritize clients in order to maximize your time spent with each one
• Consistent and timely communication is especially important when working remotely
• Why being agile as a remote agent is more important than ever

Resources

💰 - ePayPolicy: https://epaypolicy.referralrock.com/l/JIMSCHUBER35/ 

🎥 - [VIDEO] - COMMERCIAL INSURANCE AGENTS: YOU NEED TO HEAR THESE 5 PODCASTS!: https://youtu.be/xPD9Q3Hn7E4 

🎥 - [PLAYLIST] - MARKETING FOR INSURANCE AGENTS: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHPYmzrOJiE5S2-pwVmm9bqp4iV18Odhc 

⬇️ - [DOWNLOAD] - REMOTE AGENT CHECKLIST: https://agentsgrowthacademy.com/remoteagentchecklist 

📚 - [BOOK] - NEVER SPLIT THE DIFFERENCE: https://amzn.to/43CqtZf 

📚 - [BOOK] - THE EXTRA TWO MINTUES: https://amzn.to/3Jc1tQf 

🔧 - [TOOL] - LOOM: https://www.loom.com/ 

🔔 - Subscribe for more tips just like this: https://bit.ly/43BmcEO

AGA PARTNERS

💰 - ePayPolicy: https://epaypolicy.referralrock.com/l/JIMSCHUBER35/

📦 - Marble Box: https://marblebox.com/

About

Jim Schubert is the CEO of Southern States Insurance, one of Georgia's largest independent insurance agencies. He is a nationally recognized author and podcast guest contributor appearing in Insurance Journal, Independent Agent Magazine, Insurance Business America Magazine, Best's Review, and Applied Systems.

Jim is a passionate advocate for small business owners, entrepreneurs, and independent insurance agents. He loves sharing ideas about agency growth, digital marketing, and the lost art of human interaction.

Jim is also the creator of Agents Growth Academy, an online resource for insurance agents and agency owners who want to take their growth to the next level. And when he needs to take a clarity break, he is either behind a camera lens in the great outdoors or teaching aspiring shutterbugs how to take beautiful nature photography at Schubert Photography.

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If you're feeling overwhelmed by manual paperwork, inefficient processes, and a lack of customer engagement, then you are not alone! Insurance agents everywhere are struggling to streamline their operations and increase sales due to outdated methods and limited resources. Despite efforts to attract new clients, they find themselves stuck in a repetitive cycle that hinders growth and profitability. Instead of achieving the desired result of improved efficiency and increased customer engagement, agents find themselves bogged down with administrative tasks and unable to focus on building meaningful relationships with clients. It's time to revolutionize your agency with A.I.-powered tools that will transform your operations and drive sales like never before.

5 Key Takeaways

• Grasp the impressive blend of Chat GPT and Zapier to streamline insurance processes.
• Learn to amplify your marketing copy by integrating Jasper AI in your strategies.
• Delve into the art of producing professional-quality videos by harnessing Synthesia.
• Boosting Social Media Engagement with Lately AI 
• Learn how to catapult your productivity to new levels by automating content with the Albus AI-powered assistant.

Resources

Zapier: https://zapier.com/ 

ChatGPT: https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt 

Jasper: https://www.jasper.ai/ 

Synthesia: https://www.synthesia.io/ 

Lately.ai: https://www.lately.ai/ 

Albus: https://www.springworks.in/

🎥 - [VIDEO] - How To Drive Sales Through Content Creation: https://youtu.be/Y3JDL9bXTRI

🎥 - [PLAYLIST] - Content Marketing For Insurance Agents: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHPYmzrOJiE5z5ZLvOFrLzySKiuUwE1ZM

🔔 - Subscribe for more tips just like this: https://bit.ly/43BmcEO

AGA PARTNERS

💰 - ePayPolicy: https://epaypolicy.referralrock.com/l/JIMSCHUBER35/

📦 - Marble Box: https://marblebox.com/

About

Jim Schubert is the CEO of Southern States Insurance, one of Georgia's largest independent insurance agencies. He is a nationally recognized author and podcast guest contributor appearing in Insurance Journal, Independent Agent Magazine, Insurance Business America Magazine, Best's Review, and Applied Systems.

Jim is a passionate advocate for small business owners, entrepreneurs, and independent insurance agents. He loves sharing ideas about agency growth, digital marketing, and the lost art of human interaction.

Jim is also the creator of Agents Growth Academy, an online resource for insurance agents and agency owners who want to take their growth to the next level. And when he needs to take a clarity break, he is either behind a camera lens in the great outdoors or teaching aspiring shutterbugs how to take beautiful nature photography at Schubert Photography.

Send us a text

Join host Jim Schubert as he talks with Mark Engels from ePayPolicy about the digital shift in the insurance industry and how their product is making premium financing easier and faster. With machine learning and innovative automation technology, Engels will show you how ePayPolicy can help your agency thrive on this episode of Agents Growth Academy.

3 Key Takeaways

• Learn how tapping into customer insights and feedback directly influences product innovations.
• See how adopting automation strategies can radically improve your agency management.
• Gain valuable insight into the benefits of incorporating Epay Policy's product into your toolbox.

Resources

Website (Be sure to check out their Finance Connect and Payables Connect services!)

About Mark Engels

Mark is the CEO of ePayPolicy, a modern payments platform built just for insurance carriers, brokers and agencies. Before ePay, Mark served as the Chief Revenue Officer for Hyperwallet (acquired by PayPal) and then Paya, where he led the sales and growth initiatives for both companies. Mark has seen the rapid digital transformation of payments firsthand, having spent most of his career leading teams in the space.