If you want a successful notary business that actually pays the bills, supports your lifestyle, and makes you proud, you’ve got to make peace with a simple truth:

You are not just a notary. You’re a marketer.

Most folks don’t sign up for this business because they want to write email campaigns or post to social media. They sign up because they love helping people. Or they want freedom. Or they want out of the corporate grind.

But none of that matters if your phone isn’t ringing.

And your phone won’t ring just because you passed your exam, paid for a commission, or made a Canva flyer once in 2022.

It rings because people know you exist, trust that you can help, and remember your name when the time comes.

That’s marketing. 

Start With These 12 Marketing Moves

1. Adopt the Marketing Mindset

You have to think like a marketer. Every single day.

That doesn’t mean becoming manipulative. It means becoming visible, valuable, and intentional about telling your story.

You don’t have to...

If you need a notary, the first instinct is usually to open a browser and type “notary near me.”

And sure, Google might show you a few options: a UPS store, a random listing on Yelp, maybe someone advertising on Craigslist who also “does notaries.”

But here’s the real question:

Do you want just anyone with a stamp… or someone you can actually trust with your most important documents?

Because when you're dealing with estate plans, loan packages, apostilles, or other legal documents, the difference between just any notary and a trained professional can mean the difference between smooth sailing and a full-blown headache later.

Let’s take a closer look at the difference between Google and Gotary.com, and why it matters.

Google Is a Search Engine. Gotary Is a Trust Engine.

Google is great at showing you options. But it doesn’t vet them for you.

You’ll get a mix of:

• Corporate chains that may or may not have a notary available
  
  
• People who do notarizations on the side
  
  
• Retired nota...

So you’ve finally decided it’s time to get your Last Will & Testament in place.

Maybe you’ve been putting it off for years, or maybe a recent experience like a death in the family, a close call with someone’s health, or a messy probate situation, shook you into action.

Whatever brought you here, welcome. This is one of the most loving and responsible things you can do for your family.

But now you’ve hit the next question:

“Do I need a notary for my will?”

And if so… how do I find one who can help me get this right?

Let’s walk through it together, step by step.

First Things First: Do You Need a Notary for Your Will?

Here’s where it gets a little tricky: It depends on your state.

Not all states require notarization to make a will valid. In fact, in many states, a will only needs to be:

• In writing
  
  
• Signed by the person creating the will (called the testator)
  
  
• Witnessed by two people (usually not named in the will)
  
  

But other states have different rules, and some offer an opt...

Let’s face it, most notaries are still grinding through $75 signings, hustling from one appointment to the next, hoping the phone keeps ringing tomorrow.

But what if you didn’t have to start over every single day?

What if your notary commission could be the foundation of something bigger, a true business that serves families deeply, earns you recurring income, and makes you the go-to expert in your community?

You don’t need to become a lawyer, and you don’t need to ditch what’s already working. And you definitely don’t need to start from scratch.

Here’s how you build your estate planning empire, step by step.

Step 1: Get Certified as a Notary Trust Delivery Agent

The Certified Notary Trust Delivery Agent (CNTDA) program trains you to handle estate planning appointments with confidence, accuracy, and professionalism.

Why does this matter?

Because the easiest way to create repeat business is to do the job right the first time.

When you show up as a polished professional to help ...

I've partnered with fellow High Performance Notary member, John Clarkson, J.D., Founder/Owner of Everythinglivingtrusts.com to provide you another great resource to your network.

John sold his law practice in 2013. When the same estate planning software he had used when he prepared estate plans for clients released a client-facing questionnaire in 2015 allowing clients to prepare their own Wills, Trusts, Powers of Attorney, and Health Care Directives, John founded EverythingLivingTrusts.com so people could prepare their own estate plans at a fraction of the cost of attorney prepared estate plans. John has also been a Nevada notary public since 1989.

Contrary to popular belief, DIY revocable/living trusts for a couple who own a home, even through companies like LegalZoom and TrustandWill, often cost between $700-$1,000 when they're all said and done.

Please read the full article about how your own 3-Tier Referral System should look here

Now, YOU get to share in that revenue when ...

Premier Estate Planning is a nationwide firm based in Arizona. They can prepare and facilitate documents in all 50 states.

They are not attorneys, they are a legal document preparation firm with 30 years of experience.

Because of this, their fees for a Living Trust and other documents are often "budget-friendly" costing around $2,000 for a single person or $2,500 for a married couple (No need to quote fees because this can vary depending on the situation).

Referring to Premier is a great option if you do not have the right fit for a referral in your network, OR if you have a budget-sensitive prospect that does not want to work with an attorney.

Please read my article on how your 3-Tier Estate Planning Referral System should work here

Stephanie and Mike Maloney, the firms owners, often refer to themselves as "LegalZoom on steroids."

Here's how the Premier Estate Planning referral program works (Updated April 2025):

• This is an UNPAID referral program. You will NOT be compensat

  ...

Let’s clear the air.

Once you're commissioned by your state as a notary public, you're good to go. In most circumstances, no other certification is required to perform your duties. 

Sure, a few states have extra hoops if you want to handle loan signings (I’m looking at you, Maryland & Indiana), but for the most part your commission is your license to GO.

And yet...

Everywhere you turn, there’s someone selling a certification.

Some are amazing. Others…questionable. But let’s get this straight:

Certifications in this industry are 100% VOLUNTARY.

Not required. Not mandated. Not necessary for success.

So, let’s rattle off some of the most popular (and not required) certs floating around out there:

• National Notary Association’s Notary Signing Agent (NSA) certification- NOT required.
• Loan Signing System (LSS) certification- NOT required.
• Notary2Pro certification- NOT required.
• Certified Notary Trust Delivery Agent (Notary Coach)- NOT required.
• World of Apostille Certification ...

If you’ve ever asked, “Can a notary come to my office or my client’s home?”, you’re not alone. 

And the answer is a resounding yes.

In fact, there’s an entire industry of full-time, highly trained professionals who do exactly that, travel directly to your clients to notarize their most important legal documents.

They're called mobile notaries, and they’re not the part-time, side-hustle type you might remember from the back of a shipping store. These are dedicated professionals who’ve built their businesses around serving law firms, fiduciaries, and families, on-site, on-time, and with professionalism.

If you're an estate planning attorney who hasn’t yet tapped into this kind of support, here’s why now might be the perfect time to start.

Your Clients Expect Convenience, Even With Serious Documents

Look, we all want clients to treat their estate plans like the critical documents they are. But the reality is, your clients are human (and busy humans at that!).

They’re juggling work,...

Let’s be real, when you need something notarized, it’s usually not the highlight of your day. Whether it’s real estate paperwork, estate planning docs, a power of attorney, or that last-minute school form, you just want it done quickly and correctly.

That’s why mobile notaries are among the heroes of Los Angeles. They save you time, come to your location, and handle the job with professionalism and care. From downtown LA to Ventura County to Escondido, these mobile notaries bring peace of mind and reliability right to your doorstep.

We’ve rounded up 7 of the best mobile notary publics serving greater Los Angeles and Southern California, all listed on Gotary.com, where you can book directly by location and service type.

The Best Notaries in Los Angeles

1. Jen Clark – Mobile Notary in Los Angeles, CA

If you’re looking for a notary who knows how to navigate the high-pressure world of healthcare or assisted living facilities in LA, Jen’s your person. With over 25 years of business exp...

Hello, I’m Bill Soroka, and I identify as an introvert. 

Not the “I hate people, don’t talk to me” kind, but the, “I need to recharge alone after peopling too hard” kind. And yet, despite this, I’ve built multiple businesses that thrive on connection, relationship-building, and, yes, marketing.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. “But Bill, I can’t market myself! I hate small talk! Networking events drain me! Talking to strangers makes me want to disappear into my own couch cushions!”

I hear you. I see you. And I’m here to tell you that you don’t have to do any of that to be successful (Though, it certainly helps, and you may actually find you enjoy it, when it’s done correctly and authentically). 

Instead, you can build a successful notary business and establish strong relationships with estate planning professionals without ever having to shake hands at a networking event, awkwardly linger near the snack table, or force yourself into a cold-call-induced anxiety spiral.

The secret ...