Updated 7-25-23. In many cases, the first contact a potential client has with you is not from a phone call or an email inquiring about your mobile Notary services, but from your profile on the internet. The old adage tells us that “you only get one chance to make a first impression,” so it’s important to use your profile to put your best foot forward.
Whether you have your own website, use sites such as FindaNotary.com, www.SigningAgent.com, or rely on social media pages, the following do’s and don’ts can help you create an effective profile that will sell your services, rather than make someone click away.
Do look at other Notary profiles
Before you sit down to write your profile, look at other people’s profiles to figure out what you should include — and what you shouldn’t. This is especially helpful when you’re first starting out and getting to know the competition in your area.
“When I was very new to this, I had no one to answer my questions, so what I did was, I let Google be my best friend,” said New York-based mobile Notary Leilan Robinson. “I Googled other people’s profiles to see exactly how they had it set up and exactly what they mentioned, so I had a better idea of what I should mention and talk about on mine.”
Don’t let being new deter you
If you’ve recently gotten your commission and only have a few jobs under your belt, don’t let that discourage you from creating a Notary profile. Companies are looking for people who have certain skills, so you can use your profile to highlight the knowledge and abilities you gained throughout your professional life.
Do update your profile regularly
You want to keep the information on your profile as up-to-date as possible, so every time you learn a new skill, get expertise of a new type of document, and earn a certification, be sure to add it to your profile. That’s the only way potential clients will know the scope of what you bring to the table.
Don’t leave information blank
Profile pages on Notary sites are valuable real estate that can help you build your client list — so be sure to take advantage of it. If you’re leaving information out — or worse, setting up a page with just your name and phone number — you’re not getting the most out of the space Notary sites are giving you.
“When Notaries do that, they’re not giving enough information for people to choose them,” said Eva M. Tolbert-Bradley, a Certified Notary Signing Agent and mentor in the Chicago area. “Clients want to know about you and what you can offer, so provide that information.”
Do provide some personal information
Whether or not to share personal information online is a choice that every professional has to make. While some mobile Notaries may be reluctant to share any personal details in their profiles, for North Carolina Notary Dawnielle G. Pacheco, providing some details about her life has actually helped her business.
“If there’s space on any platform that allows for more personal information, I encourage a person to fill it out,” she said. “The reality is, some people are very sensitive about people they don’t know coming to their house, and if they want to look online and know a little bit about you, that makes you seem more human. I think it’s ideal.”
Don’t overdo it with personal information
Someone may have told you never to discuss hot-button issues like politics and religion on a first date — and there’s a good reason for that. As you’re first getting to know someone, you don’t want to bring up anything that will cause tension. The same is true for your Notary profile.
Although you may consider putting some personal information on your profile to help people feel comfortable with allowing you into their home, you don’t want to give potential clients reasons not to choose you. In addition to leaving your personal beliefs off of your profile. If you talk about controversial issues on your personal social media pages, you may want to make those platforms private in case potential customers Google you.
And remember, as a Notary, you are an impartial, third-party witness to document signings. So it’s important to make sure you leave that impression with every potential client.
Kenya McCullum is a freelance writer from San Francisco.
Related Articles:
How to use SigningAgent.com to get clients
Additional Resources:
Signing Agent FAQs