No matter how long you’ve been in business or how big your agency is, it never hurts to be aware of the free business tools and resources available to you. In our fast-paced digital world, it’s also easy to be overwhelmed by all the choices and options that are out there and promise to deliver.
That’s why we’ve compiled a list of some of our favorite business tools so that you can see which ones may be a good fit for your agency. The first group is geared specifically towards the insurance industry, but you’ll also notice there are sections focused on free trials as well as resources to help your agency increase efficiency and keep organized.
Let’s get started!
1. The Agency Pocket App
Offer Quotes from 300+ Carriers
Access this FREE app from Agency Pocket to help you grow your agency as well as enhance your bottom line. By including multiple tools in one, this business tool can help you meet your customers’ expectations, generate more leads, provide easily accessible forms and applications, expand your knowledge with training and videos, and much more.
When you download this app, you’ll have instant access to:
- Offer abundant choices to your clients with the ability to receive quotes from 300+ carrier options in Life, Med Supp, Med Advantage, PDP, and Supplemental
- Streamline functionality by submitting applications directly to carriers via E-app
- Added convenience by connecting to the Forms Library as well as fill out applications directly in the app
- Quickly research Underwriting and Prescription guidelines with search functionality
- Cross-reference a library of example policies and uncover existing policies
- Improve recordkeeping by easily keeping track of agent hours worked, locations visited, and record mileage
- Boost lead generation by ordering discounted direct mail leads with a built-in CRM
- Tips and insights from top producers through training videos and manuals
- And much more!
Take advantage of marketing, leads, training, and quote tools all at your fingertips with Agency Pocket today!
2. Quote+Apply
Sell Life Insurance from Your Website
Streamline the entire process of selling life insurance with free, easy-to-use software from Quote + Apply. This first and only multi-carrier, consumer-facing, quoting, and eApplication software for life insurance in the U.S. helps you transform your website into the ultimate selling tool.
By signing up for this software, you can:
- Give your clients the added convenience of obtaining quotes directly through your website
- Offer abundant choices with access to multiple carriers
- Make life easier for both you and your clients with an e-sign feature
- Help your clients make informed decisions about their coverage with an online quote comparison option
- Save time and boost efficiencies by easily monitoring your leads and application status
- And much more!
Ramp up production by handling more applications, spend more time doing what you do best, and nurture your life insurance prospects with Quote + Apply today.
3. The Marketing for Insurance Facebook Group
Access this Business Tool & Join a Community of 10,000+ Insurance Agents
Have you joined our private Facebook group, Marketing for Insurance Agents, yet?
If not, you’re missing out on the opportunity to connect with over 10,000 agents across the country!
You can join our group for FREE, and by participating, you can:
- Gain insights from experts and experienced members to help grow your agency
- Join regular Facebook Live sessions on the latest tips, advice, and trends in the industry
- Delve into the abundant digital marketing options available
- Discover proven and effective sales techniques
- Learn how to create compelling content and emotionally engaging copy
- Have a better understanding of sales funnels and how to use them effectively
- Collaborate, swap stories, and learn from other members’ experiences
- Be the first to learn about the latest products you can use to further enhance your business
- And much more!
Our Facebook group is solely for those insurance agents who are serious about growing their agency.
If you’re interested in improving your skills as an entrepreneur and want to connect with like-minded individuals in the insurance industry, click here to request free access now.
4. The Referral Machine eBook
Grow Your Insurance Business with Referrals
Download the FREE ebook, Referral Machine: Three Reasons You Aren’t Getting More Referrals, and uncover the secrets to effectively and consistently grow your insurance business.
As an insurance agent, we don’t have to tell you how important referrals are to the success of your business. You’re constantly bouncing back and forth from getting high-quality leads and then trying to figure out how best to follow-up and nurture them for the best possible results.
Thankfully, there’s a way to get more traffic to your business with referrals, and you don’t have to spend any money and nowhere near the same level of effort as you’re used to.
By accessing the information provided in the free ebook, you can learn how to:
- Tap into the often neglected process of collecting high-quality referrals
- Assess and correct your current referral process to enhance results
- Uncover why you may be struggling to obtain referrals
- Ask for a referral at the right time
- Be more proactive in your business as a strategy for your success
- Stop implementing shot-in-the-dark tactics and start utilizing a system that yields quantifiable results
- And much more!
The Referral Machine ebook was written by Rob Liano, a best-selling author, sales strategist, and motivational speaker. His entrepreneurial mindset, passion for serving others, and dedication to excellence led him to change the face of insurance sales. By implementing a new and improved sales process, his methodologies have transformed agents and agencies so that they could reach top producer status.
5. Insurance Marketing Basics eBook
Discover the Marketing Basics to Help You Elevate Your Insurance Business
Access the FREE ebook, Understanding Marketing for Insurance Agents, and discover how you can utilize all the available channels to boost your marketing efforts.
Does it seem like there’s a new marketing channel you should be chasing after every single day?
Ever since digital marketing came on the scene, we’ve all been wondering when it’s going to top off. Yet, we also have seen how incredible it can be to effectively reach new prospects.
The only problem is figuring where to start.
By downloading the free ebook, you can learn how to:
- Effectively capture more leads
- Cold call for the best results
- Utilize direct mail to connect and follow up with your audience
- Use networking tactics to generate referrals
- Implement effective social media ads on the platforms your audience frequents the most
- And much more!
Understanding Marketing for Insurance Agents was written by John Lucero, a 17+ year veteran, based on his nearly two decades of experience. After struggling with feeling alone as an insurance agent, John has since developed expertise in the areas of Recruiting, Education, Coaching, Development, and Product Knowledge.
If you’ve been trying to make sense of all the marketing options available, download the free ebook and enhance your agency’s marketing efforts.
6. Social Media Toolkit
A Business Tool That Provides Social Media Posts to Help Boost Your Marketing Content
Ready to build a powerful social media presence? Take the guesswork out of digital marketing with our Insurance Marketing Toolkit.
We want you to leave behind the frustration and overwhelm often associated with promoting your agency online. That’s why we created toolkits so that you have one place to go to for all your digital marketing needs.
With the free version of our Insurance Marketing Toolkits, you can:
- Download two new social posts per week
- Grow your social channels by using the provided materials
- Engage your audience on social media with conversation starters
Click here to register to access your free Insurance Marketing Toolkit now.
Free Trial Versions of These Business Tools & Resources
Want to “date” more business tools and resources but not sure you want to “marry” them unless you know they’ll be a good fit for your business?
We have a few additional resources and business tools that have free trials you can take advantage of. Once you sign up, you can see if they work for you or cancel before you end up paying for full access.
Here’s a few for you to try:
1. TripValet Incentives
Access a free 7-day trial to TripValet Incentives and tap into a fun program designed to help you improve your bottom line.
If you struggle with generating leads, this program just might be the perfect solution for your agency.
By utilizing this easy-to-use travel certificate program, you can:
- Reward leads as well as existing clients with an incentive they will love using!
- Access unlimited certificates at a minimal cost and use them in a way that helps you generate more business.
- Give clients and prospects the trip they’ve always wanted to take while building trust and credibility.
- Take advantage of the program where you and 10 friends or family members can save 50 – 80% at hotels and resorts all over the world.
- And much more!
Start attracting and retaining more clients with TripValet Incentives.
Click here to start your 7-day free trial now.
2. The Insurance Lead Machine
Start your free 7-day trial with the Insurance Lead Machine and discover how to streamline your follow-up process and transform more leads into paying customers.
This automated, multi-feature system helps your agency’s success and longevity through lead acquisition, follow-ups, and tracking results.
With the Insurance Lead Machine, you can:
- Master the latest strategies to help follow-up with leads through automated SMS messages, ringless voicemail, and email autoresponder campaigns.
- Use the easy-to-navigate mobile app to manage leads 24/7.
- Help your agency stand out with personalized emails or texts instead of the standard templates used by the competition.
- Get a snapshot of your pipeline where you can track sales team performance, create revenue forecasts, and establish priorities based on results.
- And much more!
Once you sign up for your 7-day free trial, you can access a personalized onboarding session with their marketing experts to ensure you get the most out of the system.
Start your free 7-day trial now.
3. Premium Insurance Marketing Toolkit
We already introduced you to the free version of our Insurance Marketing Toolkit. But did you know we offer an enhanced version for a minimal monthly fee?
You can try our Premium version for 14-days on a trial basis. In addition to the free version, you also receive:
- Take your Facebook Business page up a notch (or two!)
- Access graphics that will help enhance your social posts and grab your audience’s attention
- Utilize social post content geared towards starting conversations and building trust
- Improve your marketing skills with training and videos to help you run effective Facebook ad marketing campaigns
- And much more!
Claim your 14-day trial today.
Our Favorite Business Tools That Can Help Streamline Your Agency
Now that we’ve gotten all the insurance stuff out of the way, it’s time to talk about the business tools that can help any agency boost efficiency. And they just might help in your personal life, too!
Here are some of our favorites:
1. Canva
Need to do graphic design work, but don’t have a clue about how to design anything? Not to mention, you don’t have the budget to hire someone to do it for you?
That’s where Canva can help you design whatever you need to without having to master any new skills.
With their free version, you can access:
- Over 8,000 templates for posters, logos, presentations, flyers, infographics, business cards, invitations, and much more.
- Over 100 design types for social media posts, presentations, letters, brochures, and more.
- Hundreds of thousands of free graphics, photos, and imagery for all your marketing needs.
- Take courses on designing and experimenting with the different features available in Canva.
Not only will using Canva help protect your budget, but it is surprisingly easy to use, which will save you time. You can also upgrade to their other paid options for more functionality.
Click here to try Canva for free.
2. BeLive
Ramp up your live streaming with the BeLive platform’s free version.
BeLive’s free version provides you with:
- 3 shows per month
- 5 assets for overlay and theme
- Two selected branding colors
- Showing up to 2 people on screen at a time
- And more!
You can schedule broadcasts as well as integrate it with Facebook or YouTube Live. You can also interact with the chat messages and show comments on screen.
You can also upgrade to their two other paid options for additional viewing and branding options.
Click here to access the free version of BeLive now.
3. ManyChat
Get the most out of chat marketing with ManyChat. [insert link] Easily automate and combine Facebook Messenger and SMS to effectively grow your business.
With over 1.3 billion people using Messenger every day, ManyChat helps you reach them, capture more leads, and nurture relationships. And the good news is that you can easily build your own bot in minutes and start interacting with prospects ASAP.
ManyChat’s free plan gives you access to:
- Unlimited subscribers
- Basic quick-start templates
- Two drip sequences
- Audience segmentation (up to 10 tags)
- Unlimited broadcasts
- Landing page & web widgets
- And much more!
They also have a paid plan that’s only $10 a month if you decide you need more features and functionality.
Get started with ManyChat for free today.
4. Zapier
Wish all the apps you use for your business integrated more easily?
Now they can with Zapier!
Zapier allows you to connect your apps and automate your workflows so you can focus more on running your agency. In just a few simple clicks, you can link your web apps so that they can share data. And the best part is that it’s easy and you don’t need to learn code to make it work.
With Zapier’s free plan, you can:
- Build one-to-one connections with your apps
- Save time and automate basic tasks
- Access their top-notch support team when you need help
They also offer premium plans that you can try out with a 14-day free trial.
Start your free Zapier plan now.
5. Calendly
Tired of going back and forth with prospective clients or business partners trying to find a good day and time for both of you to chat?
That’s all in the past with Calendly. [insert link]
Calendly is a great business tool that helps you avoid the endless stream of emails with a simple link to your calendar. Link it to your calendar, where it will check availability and provide others with the days and times you’re available. All they need to do is click on the link and choose what works best for them to schedule the meeting.
You also don’t have to worry about notifications or reminders as Calendly does it all for you. You can also limit the number of meetings you schedule per day, as well as adding buffers before and after events.
Calendly’s free version allows you to:
- Integrate with Google Calendar, Office 365, and iCloud
- Schedule unlimited events
- Provide others with a personalized Calendly link to place in emails or on your site
- Automate event notifications
- Access their Knowledge Base for help and support
Calendly also offers paid plans that allow for additional calendar integration, support, and notification options.
Click here now to get started with Calendly’s free version.
Still Need Help Growing Your Agency with Free Business Tools?
We hope that at least some of these free business tools and resources can help you grow your agency and enhance your bottom line.
If not, we’re here to help you any way we can!
Contact the Jumpstart Go team here, and we can discuss some additional options or other business tools that might be helpful for your agency.