Startups and Street Art: Using Creativity to Inspire Your Agency

by Business Strategy

The TRUTH

There is just something about street art and the start-up culture that blend perfectly together. When you really think about it, it’s easy to see why. Both push the boundaries of existing norms, both require a thirst for adventure, and most importantly, both require a creative vision. There was a time when street art used to be called graffiti and shunned by society — but not anymore. Now you’ll see bright, imaginative murals being painted on anything with a surface. More and more are being commissioned every year, which is a beautiful thing. While traveling through Austin, it’s hard not to notice the vibrantly painted walls of restaurants and offices that bring a fun energy to the city.  We decided that we would join in here at ePayPolicy and spark some new enthusiasm in our office as well. The best never remain stagnant and are always willing to make changes for improvement. You don’t think artists like Banksy, BLU or Justin Bettman got very far with just adding a pop of color, do you?

Inspire Creativity Within Your Workforce

At ePayPolicy we’re all about coming up with new ways to disrupt the norm with a simple solution. Therefore, to spark our own creativity, we brought in some creative inspiration. To encourage some abstract thinking and open the minds of our employees, we decided to collaborate with Mike Johnston, (“Truth”) and his wife Erin. We welcomed them to grace our walls with a mural that captures the essence of the ePayPolicy culture. 

Mike’s Unreal Transition to Becoming A Street Artist

Mike has made his home base here in Austin, after moving around a lot as a kid. His introduction to creating art came from his obsession of drawing G.I. Joe scenes when he was a child. Today he is his own unique version of a start-up, gaining renown as a visual arts entrepreneur. Mike went from being a school teacher for 10 years to a painter. Traveling to places like Asia, Europe and the Middle East is where it all began … and continues. He started painting on school walls overseas, where his students were the only judges of his artwork. Now people can see his art all around the world. He is best known for his murals with pop culture icons such as Will Smith and Frida Kahlo. His paintings are bound to bring a smile to your face, often featuring bright colors and creative characters. 

Godzilla Meets the Insurance World

If you make your way to our office, you’ll see how Mike and Erin perfectly brought our vision to life. If you take a closer look you’ll see: Gordy Z and his monster buds causing chaos and ripping up checks, Austin’s iconic landmarks such as the Congress Bridge, and credit card bats zooming around the Frost Tower. All of this surrounds the words “Let’s Go”, our company motto. This mural is a depiction of our goal to help the insurance industry easily process digital payments and put a stop to chasing paper checks.  We’re excited to have some new color in the office and a piece of Austin’s culture in the building. For those looking to add a little creativity to your office, we highly recommend finding an artist that you truly love and bringing them in to help share your vision with employees and visitors. 

The Leavitt Group Conference 2019

by Industry News & Company Updates

The Leavitt Group
Leavitt Group Insurance, a branch off of Leavitt Group, is one of the largest privately-held insurance brokerages in the country. The agency offers employee benefits solutions, property and casualty insurance, risk management and other services. Every year, the Leavitt Group hosts an annual conference, and this year our team was honored and proud to have attended this event at The Westin Lake Las Vegas Resort and Spa on June 5 – 7.

“I’m truly amazed at how such a large organization can still maintain such a tight, family-oriented culture,” says Milan Malkani, Co-founder of ePayPolicy. “What really struck us, their gala, where every award recipient showed genuine admiration for their team and couldn’t stop thanking them enough for their dedication and support. Almost every other speech used the word “love” when referring to the people around them and it wasn’t uncommon for the speaker to have to take a moment and compose themselves after getting a little choked up. This isn’t just a job for them; this is truly their family.”

To conclude the night, Dixie and Anne Leavitt gave speeches from their heart. It was Anne’s speech that really stole the show for everyone. Her delivery, her way with words, and her message of kindness completely left everyone in aw.  She cited the story of Gander, Newfoundland in the wake of the 9/11 attacks to illustrate the power of human kindness. She spoke of how the right thing to do is care for others and that we have the power to do so as an individual instead of waiting for a group at large to start a movement. It was an amazing experience for the ePayPolicy team, unlike any other conference we’ve attended before.

To say we’re excited to be working with the Leavitt group and their members would be an understatement. At ePayPolicy we understand that the insurance industry isn’t just a grouping of companies but a network of families, when we can partner with like-minded insurance professionals it’s a wonderful thing.

Created by insurance experts for the insurance industry ePayPolicy provides the simplest solution for insurance agents, brokers, MGAs, and premium finance companies to collect credit card and ACH payments. Visit https://epaypolicy.com/ to learn about our Vertafore integrations and to request a demo today!

Gary Vee Does Insurance

by Business Strategy

Gary V Insurance
We recently ventured to the Big Apple for an incredible podcast session at Vayner Media world headquarters with the one and only Gary Vaynerchuk (Gary Vee). Bradley Flowers and Scott Howell, aka The Insurance Guys, led the interview, and Andy Priesman of Cover Desk and Todd Sorrel of ePayPolicy added some commentary around the impact of InsurTech across the industry.

With the focus around personal branding, innovation, and strategy, this 40-minute podcast is a must for all the independent agents out there. Here are just some of our takeaways from the in-depth discussion.

The insurance agent of the future (not to mention every day, right now) should be high tech and high touch. That combination is a win/win strategy.

What do we mean by high touch? High touch means engaging in human to human interaction that builds trust. Since you’re selling a product that protects people, it’s important to genuinely like people. (Of course you do, but if you have anyone in your agency who doesn’t like people, perhaps this is not the field for them.)

You should give without strings/expectations. Gary Vee pointed out the difference between authentic selflessness vs. selfish selflessness. Selfish selflessness is verboten in Gary’s world, and ought to be in yours.

A practical application of high touch is to follow up after binding a policy. Not with any agenda – just to check in. Mention something personal you remember about your customer: ask about a pet, a hobby, a family member. Show you’re not just there to make the sale and move on.

I think of branding as residing in both realms. It is the linchpin between high touch and high tech. And it is essential. Note that branding is a key theme in my post about seeking inspiration outside of the industry. When you are marketing something you’re not in control of, you are not in control. While this part of the discussion centered mainly on captive agents, it’s still a truism of all branding. If you don’t control your brand, it will be controlled for you.

Now here’s something I suspect many of you have either never considered –or have spent hours worrying about. Or, you may already be doing it. If so, that’s awesome. Per branding maestro Gary Vee, one way everyone should be putting themselves out there is by creating content. For those who are not comfortable doing a vlog, do a podcast, or write articles for LinkedIn. This is not optional. If you’re not differentiating your brand through content, you’re becoming irrelevant.

Inevitably, the conversation turned to high tech and its profound influence on our industry.  Gary Vee pointed out that Amazon is entering the insurance market in a big way. They’ve hired more insurance actuaries than any other company. Should you be afraid? Gary says no. He said Amazon entering the industry should not be scary — unless you’re not willing to put in the work.
What else? Imagine customers asking Alexa or Siri for an insurance agent. Will Alexa or Siri pick you?

Next, the subject of buying insurance online came up. Just like we at ePayPolicy advocate that customers should be able to pay for insurance however it’s most convenient for them, Gary Vee says we should let consumers buy insurance online if they want to. It’s all about being customer centric.

Finally, the topic turned to outsourcing. Gary’s all in favor of outsourcing functions that are not your core competencies. This goes for administrative functions like payroll and virtual support (nod to here to Cover Desk). It goes for payment processing. It could also involve seeking outside expertise and tech channels to build your brand through social media.  If these are not core competencies that you possess within your agency, by all means seek out experts to help you build and manage your brand.

In summary: Insurtech is exploding. We’re witnessing a true revolution. These tools are there to make your life easier and your office more efficient. But never forget you’re  selling to people. When you put your customers’ needs first, when you seek to delight them and spread love instead of fear, everyone wins.

These are the highlights that jumped out at us. Be sure to tune in to the podcast for the full interview. I’m sure you’ll enjoy the spirited discussion and valuable business insights.

Announcing The 2019 InsurTech Agency Award

by InsurTech Award


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The 2019 InsurTech Agency Award Now Open for Entries
industry-wide competion recognizes insurange agency achievement in technology adoption
Austin, TX – June 13, 2019 – ePayPolicy is now accepting applications for The 2019 InsurTech Agency Award competition. The award, now in its second year, recognizes independent insurance agencies/brokerages for leveraging technology to enhance their sales, marketing, operations and customer service functions.

All aspects of the award are designed to foster agency business improvement and spur widespread tech adoption throughout the insurance industry.

“The goal of any agency is to create a seamless experience in which your clients enjoy every interaction,“ said Todd Sorrel, ePayPolicy co-founder. “We created the InsurTech Award to celebrate those firms — big and small — who are out there leading the charge to tech-enabled customer engagement and business growth.”

The InsurTech Agency Award acknowledges both achievement and effort in technology adoption. Applicants are scored on their use of technology in four categories:
1. Client & Prospect Engagement
2. Day-to-Day Operations
3. Technology Vision
4. Technology Investment

The scores in each area are combined into the applicant’s Insurance Technology Adoption (ITA) score. ITA is a subjective measure of an agency’s competitive standing in the insurtech space. All applicants will receive their ITA score, along with evaluator feedback and suggestions on opportunities to improve.

The grand prize winner is the agency with the highest ITA score. In 2019 the grand prize winner will receive:
– $1,000 cash
– $1,000 towards insurtech services
– 1 Year of consulting services
– 1 free year of ePayPolicy payment processing services

“With so many simple yet powerful insurtech options out there today — from AI chat bots to social media management to internal communications platforms and digital payment processing — we’re excited to see what agencies are using,” said Sorrel. “We’re expecting some creative new applications from our 2018 participants and demonstrated momentum overall since last year’s award.”

ePayPolicy encourages everyone to apply. “At minimum, you’ll receive valuable feedback via your ITA score. And — you just could be our 2019 grand prize winner,” concluded Sorrel.

For more information on the 2019 InsurTech Award, including online application, visit: https://www.insurtechaward.com/

About ePayPolicy
ePayPolicy is the simplest way to collect insurance payments. Designed for independent agents, brokers, premium finance companies, MGAs and their clients, ePayPolicy’s innovative electronic payment processing portal enables clients to accept credit card or ACH payments without messy merchant accounts or hidden fees. It sets up quickly and integrates seamlessly with leading agency management systems. ePayPolicy helps thousands of agencies across the country improve the customer experience, speed up their receivables and bind policies faster. The Austin,Texas-based company does more than provide a product; they’ve created a community of like-minded insurance professionals eager to innovate. ePayPolicy is endorsed by independent insurance associations nationwide.

 
Media Contact:
Name: Seth Nagle
Phone #512 643 9015
Email: Seth@epay3.com

Finding Inspiration for Your Agency Outside Insurance

by Business Strategy


People have looked for inspiration for their business since … forever. It’s what drives creativity, injects motivation across members and most importantly improves the customer experience. In today’s world of content marketing and social media,  there are some amazing individuals sharing their ideas and philosophies across a variety of mediums, all you have to do now is know where to look.

In this post we’re going to highlight three innovators outside the insurance industry that have helped redefine brand management, marketing, and entrepreneurship and explain why you need to take a moment and listen to their podcast or at least click around their websites.

Don Miller, Founder of Story Brand

Let’s start with Don Miller. His company is aptly named StoryBrand. Don’s premise is simple: “Clarify your message and grow your business.” Yep. Don’s a branding guy. I know, “branding” can be time-consuming and feels like something only huge consumer companies spend time on. But it’s really fundamental to every business – including your agency. Branding occurs at every customer touchpoint. It’s the connection you make that pulls customers to you instead of the competition. It’s the sense of caring customers get when they interact with you. And brand messaging is a powerful part of building and maintaining that impression and that connection over time.

So back to StoryBrand. What do they help their clients do? They help them “confidently create websites, emails, and whatever else you need, without spending a fortune on another consultant or agency.” See where I’m going with this? Don Miller is an expert at framing your message so that customers listen, and your agency grows. I tend to believe that companies like Berkshire Hathaway, Pantene, Intel, and Prime Lending wouldn’t be clients if he didn’t offer them something of value.

You can tap into the same advice the big guys are getting from StoryBrand for as little as … FREE.  Like any smart marketer, Don Miller offers free resources like the 6-video series “Avoid the Marketing Money Pit” and even a “5-Minute Marketing Makeover.” There’s also an interactive online tool that lets you develop your own brand script. You can also subscribe to his podcast, where he interviews guests and dispenses marketing advice.

Bottom line: Words matter. Whether you’ve never thought about how to tell your agency’s story, or if you’ve struggled with crafting messages that connect and direct customer action, check him out.

Seth Godin, Founder of the altMBA, blogger, entrepreneur & author

Seth Godin is another favorite of mine. This former dot com exec is considered by many the godfather of modern marketing. Seth has 30 years of creative experience under his belt, and is still going strong. The word “prolific” barely scratches the surface. I’m talking about 18 best-selling books, 7,000 blog posts, 8 online courses, 1 marketing workshop, and 3,000,000 people attending 1,000 speeches. Oh yes, you can even join 1,900 graduates and get an “alt-MBA” online in 30 days.
This amazing marketer is an entrepreneur, an author, a speaker, but most of all, a teacher. He motivates and inspires people by “ focusing on everything from effective marketing and leadership to the spread of ideas and changing everything.”

So what game-changing strategy can Seth Godin teach you? It may start with a message as simple as:

“If marketing is everything that an organization does that changes perceptions, then leadership is the most important marketing tool. Doing the right thing is at least as important as knowing what the right thing is.”

-or-

“People are irrational and they usually make decisions that have nothing to do with facts. And yet we spend most of our time improving our facts and very little concerned with the rest.”

This latter quote is from a short article entitled “How to Run a Useless Conference.” Yet, I think you can quickly see how this concept can be applied to selling insurance by improving customer experience.

Gary Vaynerchuk, CEO VaynerMedia

And speaking of prolific sources, my final recommended external expert is Gary Vaynerchuk, aka Gary Vee. Gary is the chairman of VaynerX, a modern-day media and communications holding company, and the active CEO of VaynerMedia, a full-service advertising agency servicing Fortune 100 clients.

If you’re forward-focused and want to know where technology is heading, Gary Vee has some predictions. He’s been spot-on in the past. For example, in the late ‘90s, he identified the internet as a “land-grab opportunity” and transitioned his father’s local liquor store into one of the first wine e-commerce platforms, growing the family business from $3M to $60M over a 5-year period.

Gary is an entrepreneur, CEO, investor, vlogger, and public speaker. He’s another evangelist of “brand over sales.” But he can also teach you about leadership strategy and scaling your business. He’s huge on “patience” and “humility” as business virtues.

Like Miller and Godin, Gary Vee is a multi-platform content producer. He does podcasts, audiocasts, documentary videos and live events. Now, if the idea of a daylong immersive consulting workshop on paid media, influencer media, digital strategy, content production, personal branding, and platform strategy makes your head spin, I understand. That’s not your natural habitat. But it’s definitely Gary Vees. And he makes it all sound so common-sense and doable.

To get a taste of his style, I recommend you check out The #AskGaryVee Show on YouTube. You’ll see this high-energy, extremely charismatic business whizz in action. With 310 episodes to choose from, you could easily find yourself fully immersed and finally taking that deep dive into personal branding, digital strategy, etc…

If any of these outside-the-industry luminaries piqued your interest take some time and listen to what they have to say. I’ll be interested to hear what you think, and how you’re able to incorporate the wisdom of Don Miller, Seth Godin and/or Gary Vee into your agency’s practices.

Accelerate 19 Powered by NetVU Has Started!

by Industry News & Company Updates

Accelerate by NetVU EapYPolicy
Accelerate Powered by NetVU is one of the largest conferences that ePayPolicy attends every year. This year,  we’re excited to announce a new integration during the show!  The Accelerate convention will be held at the Duke Energy Convention Center in Cincinnati, Ohio May 21 – 23.

Accelerate 2019 is a four day event hosted by Netvu, the Network of Vertafore users. This event is one of the largest gatherings of Vertafore users and industry professionals from across the independent agent channel. Throughout the event, attendees will be able to take advantage of hours of product and persona focused education classes, learn from different exhibitors who are showcasing their brand or new products and be able to attend Vertafore’s annual Customer Appreciation Party, held at the Great American Ballpark, home of the Cincinnati Reds this year.

“The ePayPolicy team is thrilled to be attending Accelerate, we’ll be sharing a big announcement with the attendees at our booth today!” said Todd Sorrel, Co-Founder of ePayPolicy. “Being a Vertafore Integration Partner we’ve been looking forward to this event for months.

Accelerate 2019 will also feature expert speakers that range from industry insiders, the Vertafore leadership crew and fellow users. Accelerate is a conference the ePayPolicy has never missed!
Want to speed up receivables and bind policies faster?

ePayPolicy is the nation’s foremost provider of payment processing developed exclusively for retail agencies, brokers/MGAs and premium finance agencies. The platform facilitates collection of online payments without the hassle or expense of technical integration, hidden fees, or separate merchant accounts. Visit our booth today and see how we interegratewithin Vertafore’s most popular management systems.

The 2019 Blue Ribbon Conference – IIABCAL

by Industry News & Company Updates


ePayPolicy had the pleasure of attending the Blue Ribbon Conference at the beautiful Monarch Beach Resort. The Blue Ribbon Conference, held at the beginning of May, not only focused on perfecting business practices, but it also insured that it’s participants had a little fun. While engaging in activities, we were looking over the breathtaking Pacific Waters, which added an overall sense of relaxation to the conference.

The conference offered an array of notary keynote speakers such as; Erick Dickerson, an NFL Hall of Famer, who spoke on the ability to succeed in any field as an Entrepreneur. Sarah Sladek, who presented her research on engaging the next generation in the workplace. Kate Browne, who pinpoints California’s climate and technology change as a barometer for the future of America.

Outside of listening to these knowledgeable speakers, we were able to enjoy a poolside gathering, designed to trade knowledge with like-minded industry professionals. There were also plenty of networking opportunities arranged during the conference. For instance, there were multiple gatherings in the beautiful wine room, dessert receptions for all, and a game of Texas Holdem to close out the event. There was even a golf tournament for attendees who like to take their conversations to the course.

“Coming events like these allows us to connect with the agents and understand their current pain points and strategic objectives. This combined with the information we receive from keynote speakers and panel discussions around industry trends allows us to continue to innovate around payment processing in the insurance industry” said Todd Sorrel, Co-Founder of ePayPolicy. “

The 2019 MIIAB EXPO Is In The Books

by Industry News & Company Updates

MIIAB EXPO 2019 ePayPolicy Presenting
Team members from ePayPolicy headed to the MN Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers (MIIAB) Expo on April 30, 2019 at the Mystic Lake Center in Prior Lake, MN.

Fun fact, the MN Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers Expo is the largest independent insurance agent and company expo in the Midwest. Over 1,000 insurance agents attended the event and more than 90 vendors were also present, including ePayPolicy!

Christensen Group

“We are a new customer of ePayPolicy and we have already had several clients use the service to make payments.  It is quick and easy for the client, and is very easy for us to monitor and record the payments on our end.  Our staff have been very receptive to ePayPolicy, and have been communicating this new payment option to customers via the ePayPolicy flyer and listing our ePayPolicy payment site on all our agency billed invoices.” – Sean Karsch Controller at Christensen Group Insurance.

Todd Sorrel, co-founder of ePayPolicy, presented at the MN Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers Expo and highlighted just how easy it is to start collecting digital payments.

The MN Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers Expo also featured breakout sessions for independent agents and offered tips on technology, agency service tips, MIIAB tools, and cyber-crime.

The technology breakout focused on performance, strategy, and ways that agents could better their service. The second breakout focused on MIIAB member services that agents could utilize, and the last breakout sessions centered on cyber-crime and how to stay protected as an independent insurance agent in the digital age.

“ePayPolicy is a tool that independent insurance agents can utilize in order to keep their business running smoothly and increase their bottom line,” says Todd Sorrel. “The technology we use allows for safe and secure payments in an age where cyber-crime is a real threat.”

Want to receive secure payments for your policies?
ePayPolicy allows for you to receive ACH and credit card payments online in order to help speed up receivables and increase your bottom line. If you want to introduce new technology that will not only help your business, but that your clients will also love, schedule a call with us today at 844-372-9300!

InsurExpo 2019 Presented by IIANC

by Industry News & Company Updates

InsurExpo 2019 Presented by IIANC
Some of our team members from ePayPolicy attended the sold-out InsurEXPO on April 11 and 12, 2019.

InsurEXPO, which is the largest industry trade show in North Carolina, featured over 90 insurance companies and vendors. The trade show offered educational breakout sessions on important topics for insurance agents including management, sales, and technology.

Keynote speakers included Jess Roy, CEO of Excalibur Insurance Group, Marcus Sheridan, Author, Speaker, and Owner of Marcus Sheridan International, Inc., and Una Roy, VP Operations of Excalibur Insurance Group.

The trade show also featured producer and sales training, account manager and CSR sessions, and industry thought leaders. Attendees were also able to network with some of the top companies and vendors in North Carolina and were also able to earn up to five hours of CE credit.
“Having the chance to attend the InsurEXPO and be a part of the IIANC Sparks event was an amazing expereince,” says Todd Sorrel, Co-Founder of ePayPolicy. “At this event, we were given a 2:00 minute shot clock to explain to the audiance how ePayPolicy is changing the way the insurnace industry is collecting digital funds.”

The IIANC Sparks event allowed 10 companies and vendors on the main stage to have the chance to showcase their business. Presenters only had two minutes to make a great pitch about their company. Vendors featured in the IIANC Sparks event were able to present their innovative product or service to 300-400 agents.

“ePayPolicy allows easier collection of insurance payments by now allowing agents the ability to receive ACH and credit card payments online,” said Todd Sorrel. In a world where everything is going digital, it just made sense to find a way to use technology to help insurance agents, especially in terms of collecting payments.”

“Since implementing ePayPolicy our clients have fully embraced digital payments, says Chris Paradiso, an independent insurance agent. “The technology provides game-changing features, saves the agency money, and deliver an excellent client experience.”

Looking to speed up receivables?

ePayPolicy is an easy-to-use platform that allows for insurance agents collect their payments faster by allowing them to take ACH and credit card payments online. Request a demo today to find out how ePayPolicy can help you!
 
https://www.facebook.com/epaypolicy/videos/2758904544151603/

The Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America: BIG I Client Spotlight

by Client Spotlight Series

Customer Spotlight:

The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America

Executive Summary: 

The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America is a national alliance of more than a quarter million business owners and their employees who offer all types of insurance and financial services products.

The Goals: 

Reduce paper checks,  streamline payment processing and bind policies faster.

The Results:

 No one understands the importance of expediency in the insurance industry quite like accounting employees. The ability to quickly track and reconcile payments effectively speeds up receivables and bind policies faster, things that typically improve an agency’s overall bottom line. For Annette Mertz, the VP of Accounting for IIABA, the biggest issue she was experiencing before signing up with ePayPolicy was timing. “We don’t have binding authority until we receive a payment,” said Mertz. “Typically it takes anywhere between three to seven days to get a paper check in the mail, which creates issues when you’re trying to bind quickly,” she said. After IIABA signed up with ePayPolicy, a lot of those issues faded. Not only do ePayPolicy customers like IIABA receive their funds in one to two business days (up to three times as fast as a paper check), they can rest easy knowing their payment is being routed to the correct place.

–
“ePayPolicy is one of those products that is so easy you expect it to be more complicated but it’s not. You have to pinch yourself to realize there’s really a product like this.” – Annette Mertz,  VP of Accounting, IIABA
–

There are a lot of potential errors with manually sending in a payment, for instance, sending a check to the wrong address or issuing it to the wrong person. “These things are eliminated now that we use ePayPolicy,” said Mertz. The ease of using ePayPolicy as one of the payment processor’s biggest draws. By focusing strictly on the insurance space, ePayPolicy is able to keep its product and services incredibly simple and straightforward. And for insurance professionals like Mertz, simple is King. “ePayPolicy makes day to day operations incredibly easy,” said Mertz. “You know right away if customers make a payment and we’re getting receivables much faster. We don’t have to wait on paper checks anymore.”