Be Unexpected: Creating Online Profiles That Pop
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 you’ve optimized each listing with some of the tips I’ll share below, you’ll be represented professionally, so prospective customers will get a chance to know, like, and trust you more. Which means, they’ll be more apt to hire your services.
Plus, using some strategic language, the search engine algorithms might rank you higher in hyper-local search results too, so those prospects can actually find you when they need you.
Three P’s and an O
Consider reviewing and updating your directory profiles a few times per year. There’s always something new to learn, some specialty to take on, or some new certification to acquire.
Add it all to your online directory profiles!
As you create or update your profile listings, consider these pointers, Three P’s and an O:
P- Photo
I can’t think of a single exception for having a headshot photo on your profile listings. You hold a public office as a notary public, and you’re a business owner. There’s nothing you can hide from anymore, so share your beautiful mug.
Selfies are totally acceptable for this. You do not need to hire a professional photographer, especially in the beginning. Make it nice and square, close enough to see your eyes and smile, without too much of your body, and not too much going on in the background.
Do not use pictures of pets, other people, quotes, or logos.
People hire people. In my signing company, we skip right past all profiles without a picture.
P- Passion
In most directories, you get a narrative section to tell prospects a little about yourself and your services. The next two P’s are about how to do this in a way that allows your readers and prospects to get to know, like, and trust you in just a few seconds.
What do I mean by passion?
- Why do you love your work as a notary?
- Do you have a particular demographic you love to serve? Veterans? Seniors? Local business owners?
- What extraordinary paths have you taken to ensure high quality results or more efficient customer experiences? Advanced training? Certifications? High-tech equipment?
That’s what I mean by passion.
P- Personality
Some people probably think the final ‘P’ should be for “Professional.” And it is true that all of this should be bundled up in a bag of professionalism, but when you work in a “people-business” like we do, sharing more than just certifications and how well you know how to sign, date, and stamp a piece of paper will serve you better.
The one asset you have that no other business will ever have (without your permission) is YOU. Let yourself out. Crack the door a bit on your inner workings, cheesy sense of humor, quirky art, latest obsessions. Be a little weird. More than that, be unexpected.
Believe it or not, being a notary public does not have a glamorous reputation outside of our lovely little community.
The expectations from the general public are quite low when they search for notaries in online directories. Some notaries insist on meeting those expectations with dull, drab profiles.
Raise the bar. Blow their minds. Make your profile pop.
Be unexpected.
That’s how you get hired more. Plus, there’s a certain power in blending all aspects of your authentic self into this business. There’s less of that “push-pull” energy when you just get to be who you are everywhere.
O- Optimization
One tiny little addition to your profiles can often make a big difference. Weave into your story, packed with your Passion and your Personality, the one keyword or phrase you want to rank for in search engine results.
In other words, when a prospective client needs your services in your city, they’re going to jump onto Google and search for it. The words they type to find your services are what you want to rank for so you show up on page one of the search results.
A popular one might be, “notary near me.”
But you can get even more specific than that.
“Mobile notary in Trenton,” is good too.
“Manhattan notary services.”
You get it. Don’t overdo it. Choose the one you really want to rank for and use it once.
Tell a Story
On some directories, you may only get two or three sentences to deliver your passion and personality, with a little optimization. Others give you lots of room. I recommend you take advantage of the space you have.
Tell us a story about why you’re the one to help solve our problem.
And, this is the best part. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel every time you have a new profile listing.
Start with LinkedIn.
Optimize your LinkedIn profile, as it allows a lot of space for the “About” narrative, so it will be the longest bio you have. Then, you can cut and paste from LinkedIn into every other directory listing you’ll ever have.
I have lots of resources about LinkedIn, including the bestselling book I wrote with Sandra Long, Supercharge Your Notary Business with LinkedIn.
Plus, Sandra and I have led several free training events, and you can watch them all on the YouTube playlist here.
I promised a few notary directories for your consideration. Here you go:
California League of Independent Notaries (CLIN)
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