“How can I make more money as a notary public?”

It’s one of the most common questions I hear, especially now that the loan signing boom has ended (for now).  

The answer to the question comes in many forms. The standard way of answering is, “it depends on what your state allows for notarial fees and travel.”  

Or, we might talk about how important it is to ride the wave of the next big boom for mobile notaries as a Certified Notary Trust Delivery Agent.  

Both are true.  

But, there’s far more to this notary-entrepreneur thing.  

This business isn’t just about knowing how to sign, date, and stamp a piece of paper.  

It’s about people and how you treat them. It’s about the efforts you take to make sure your clients are in competent hands, genuinely cared for, and how well you provide a smooth and efficient transaction.  

You must always remember that you...

One of the benefits of owning both a signing company and an active notary directory is having a direct line of communication with hiring parties for notaries. 

Almost daily I am speaking to estate planning attorneys, real estate agents, lenders, and escrow officers to showcase the world’s best notaries on Gotary.com. 

One of my favorite questions to ask in those conversations is, “what challenges have you encountered with notaries in the past?”

You might think “mistakes” was a popular answer, but it wasn’t. In fact, aside from several nightmare stories about how notaries have responded to their errors, mistakes didn’t even make the top ten list. 

When asked how they resolved issues with notaries, most people I talked to said they love working with notaries that are professional, with a great attitude. With these two qualities, nearly any adversity can be overcome. 

That said, there are four behaviors that these...

The World's Largest Business Directory

Think of the Google search engine like the world’s biggest business directory. 

To put this in perspective for you, Google gets 91.5% of all the internet search business in the world. 

Bing gets 3.19%. 

For fans of DuckDuckGo, they get only .55%.

For your notary business to thrive, you must be listed on the Google “business directory”.

This is what we commonly refer to as, Google Business Profile (GBP).

GBP is a suite of online services that Google grants to businesses of any size at no charge. You’ve likely seen this in action already when you search for “late night munchies near me,” or “nail spa in Tampa.” 

The information that comes up, with the hours of operation, menu of services, and customer reviews, is likely the Google Business Profile for those small, local businesses. 

This is the same series of information that could come up for your notary business too! ...

Shared experiences, like networking events, live training, workshops, conferences, travel, and the like, create deeper bonds and forge the beginnings of tomorrow’s great collaborations and innovations. 

Plus, they can be fun and educational. 

If you commit to attending five peer events every year, your business, life, and network will experience limitless expansion. 

I’ve found that live, in-person events create stronger bonds faster. But if that’s not in your budget (or desire), you can still attend AND participate in online events. 

For my own schedule, I’ve committed to five in-person notary peer events for 2024, and several online events. I'll share the growing list at the end of this article.

I happen to be in Philadelphia as I write this, touring the host hotel for Judi Lawrence’s Philly Notary Social (registration now open) in October, so I’ll share about this first. 

The Notary Hotel

It...

You may be hoping I'm going to share the super-shiny doo-hickey thinga-ma-bobber that will make it rain clients and appointments for your notary business.

I am not going to do that and it doesn't exist. At least not yet, anyway (but we're working on it!).

I'm talking about your referral list. 

This is your list of people, brands, and services, that you enjoy working with enough to refer them to other people in your network. 

I liken it to Oprah's list of her "Favorite Things."

Having a list and referring to your network makes you a resource. 

Being a resource to your network will help you stand out more than anything else.  

You're an active citizen living in your city/state/country/world and you've garnered some experience, wisdom, and favorite things through life. 

Who Can Be Added to Your Referral List

Here are some examples of who can go on your list of favorite things/Referral List:

• Real Estate Agents
• Loan Officers
• Estate planning firms
• Attorneys...

If you are the bearer of a notary commission, you hold a key to income and purpose. 

Not only do notaries serve an important role in fraud and identity theft prevention, but they can also make a living doing so. 

The secret to success is moving away from being a generalist to a specialist. 

As they say, the riches are in the niches. 

The Difference Between General Notary Work and Specialty Notary Work

My friend and notary expert, Laura Biewer coined the phrase, “Specialty Notary Work” (SNW) to identify those repeatable opportunities we have under the notary umbrella. There are certain situations, facilities, document types, and even client types, that call for a little extra learning, certification, and understanding. Those notaries that take that on, can stand out and tap into growth and more revenue. 

Laura and I wrote a book about how to monetize your notary commission through specialty work called, “Beyond Loan Signings...

It’s weird being an introvert that loves people. 

Especially as a business owner. 

I’ve struggled my whole adult life with the idea of networking. I knew it was important, so I’d sign up for all kinds of networking events, fully intending to attend, but then…

IF I even left my house at all, I’d circle the block or sit in the parking lot obsessing about what to say, where to stand, or whether I’d fit in. I had to give myself a pep talk to actually walk in the door. 

Sometimes I’d actually go in. 

But mostly I didn’t. I wasn’t very good at pep talks back then. 

I would get physically sick to my stomach. I even threw up in the parking lot a few times. 

Then I’d wipe my mouth, pat myself on the back, turn around and go home. 

“At least I tried,” I’d say. 

But I needed to move through that networking anguish. I knew I liked people. This anxiety wasn’t about them,...

There are lots of online notary directories out there right now. Many of the most relevant directories will have a free (or cheap) profile level to get started with. I’ll share a few that seem to pay off, should you decide to pay for a premium listing too. 

But, if you’re going to invest the time and money into having online profiles, do it in a way that makes you more appealing than the same old boring profiles that 70% of notaries throw up on these directories. 

Make it pop. 

Stand out. 

Get hired. 

There’s No Such Thing as “Too Many” Directory Profiles

You already know that your customers are going to come to you from two places, and two places only:

• Your online visibility;
• And your network of relationships.

Online directories help with both, IF you optimize your profiles correctly. 

When done well, there is no such thing as having too many online profiles on professional directories. 

When...

Tired of spending money on business “essentials”?

I get it. For such a small, simple business, you can feel nickel and dimed as you’re in start-up mode as a mobile notary.  Luckily, one of the most lucrative marketing campaigns you can implement right now can be done for $7 or less. 

And it’s easy too!

The hardest part is just getting out of your own way and hitting the send button…again and again. 

The 7-Step Marketing Plan for Mobile Notaries

You can start this today, and your total expense, outside of time and energy, is $7 (or less). 

Step One: Get a Domain Name

Invest $1 for the first year of a domain name that matches your brand name, or is similar. Don’t worry, this isn’t for building a website. This is for sending emails only. If you already have a domain name, you can skip to Step Two.

How I Do It: I use GoDaddy for all of my domains. Sometimes they cost more than $1, but there is always a promo or coupon...

Clients Devastated, Ignored by Unwitting Notaries

Imagine with me for a moment, would you? 

You’ve just closed on your dream home, and the experience was smooth, efficient, and even enjoyable, thanks in large part to your amazing real estate agent, referred by a colleague of yours. 

You loved working with her, and really “hit it off.” You might even be friends after this. 

You get the keys, decorate, make it yours. 

And then you run into your real estate agent at the grocery store. There she is in canned goods, in front of the stewed tomatoes. Can you see her? 

You run down the aisle to catch up with her because you just have to tell her what a difference she made. 

You share your thoughts, just loud enough that a few passersby can overhear. They might want to work with her too. She was just that good. 

And then, as you complete your word-shower love-fest on your new favorite real estate agent, she simply turns and walks away,...