Updated 6-26-23. Mobile Notaries around the country often ask how they can increase their income. While most mobile Notaries take on loan-signing assignments, the up-and-down nature of the mortgage industry makes it difficult to earn a decent living from that type of work alone.
The answer is simple: Find general Notary work, and it’s easier than you think. Here are just a few suggestions that can help anyone in any area of the country locate general Notary work.
Posting your business profile
Place a profile on a Notary community page like SigningAgent.com.These types of Notary community page sites allow you to tell the general public a little more about yourself and the value you can bring to them as a professional Notary in their area. If you also do general Notary work, a FindaNotary.com listing can help customers find your services as well.
Your profile should include your professional experience and qualifications, a professional headshot and your contact information. Your profile also should explain the types of services you offer and why you are the right choice. A good profile will allow potential customers to find you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Tell people you are a Notary
By far this is one of the best and simplest ways to start bringing in general Notary work. It’s also one of the easiest ways to lose income. Let me give you an example. A friend of mine owns a pet care business in a local office park. She’s also a Notary. I stopped by for a visit one day and as I was leaving her office, came across a gentleman who saw my Notary business logo on my shirt.
It turns out he was an insurance agent with an office just a few feet from my friend’s. He started asking me questions about my Notary service. Then he asked for my contact information because he has several clients who would need my service.
Afterward, my friend came out and said that she had never told him or anyone else in her building that she was a Notary. As a result, she was losing key opportunities to expand her business.
Wearing a shirt with your business logo, or putting a sign on your car or office door let’s people know that you are available to notarize their documents.
Make the rounds of local businesses
Contact hospitals and assisted living facilities and let them know that you are a professional mobile Notary Public. Because people are living longer, assisted living and retirement communities are excellent places to get your name out. In every part of the country, people in these facilities need Notary services. This opens up the door for you to get more business.
Contact local banks, law firms, car dealerships and insurance companies. These types of businesses have come to depend more and more on professional mobile Notaries to meet the needs of their clients. Partnering with Notaries allows these businesses to stay competitive and conduct business in a seamless manner. If a business is not familiar with what you do, take the opportunity to explain how they can increase their efficiency by using your services. This also will highlight yourself as an expert, which will make it more likely that you will be the first person they call for Notary services.
Network with other Notaries
It might seem counterintuitive, but networking with other professional mobile Notaries is a great way to get free referral business. This allows you to get to know other professionals in your area and advertise your business through them. There are times when most mobile Notaries have to turn down requests for any number of reasons. Being able to refer clients to each other keeps clients happy and your business thriving.
Using these techniques can really expand your business.
Develop a social media strategy
When you do an internet search on your name what pops up? If you are doing that for the first time, you should really consider crafting a social media strategy for your Notary business and yourself. Keeping in mind that the social network is still growing fast each day and consumers are making more daily purchasing decisions from social media. Lack of a social media strategy gives the advantage to your competitors in your area. I find that more than 80% of my customers seeking general Notary services are active on social media. When developing a social media strategy keep in mind that reputations can be enhanced or destroyed on social networks, so really think twice before clicking “Send.”
Using these techniques can really expand your business. Please feel free to contact me if you do decide to use these techniques and let me know about your successes and/or failures.
Daniel C. Lewis of Carmel, Indiana, is the Managing Partner of Lewis Notary Services Inc. and a contributor to the Notary Bulletin. He is the 2010 NNA Notary of the Year and also the co-author of the Notary business guidebook, "Make Your Business Our Business."
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Additional Resources:
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