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...

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,...

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...

One of my favorite things to do is to refer prospects to people I know, like, and trust. 

I consider myself a loyal person (sometimes to a fault). 

Loyalty is a quality I appreciate in others as well. 

What I’ve learned through the years as a super connector is that loyalty has to be about more than just personalities. 

Quality over Quantity When It Comes to Referrals

You can’t just refer prospects to people you like, even if they’re freakin’ amazing at what they do. 

Not everyone is a good referral match. 

So instead, be loyal to bringing value to your relationships, not just to one certain person. 

It does no one any good if you refer a mismatched prospect to your favorite attorney, just because you like him. It just wastes time and it costs you credibility in two relationships (or more). 

You Can Never Have Too Many Referral Partners

That’s why you can never have too many partners on your referral list. 

...

How to Make Memorable Introductions Within Your Professional Network

As you elevate your network, the necessity for more effective introductions will rise in priority. High performers in any industry, including estate planning professionals, hospital administrators, university staff, or essentially anyone you may consider your ideal client as a credentialed professional, will protect their time more than anything. 

So tactics like telling your client referral, "Call Bob and tell him I sent you," or "Here's Bob's number, just give him a call," are ineffective at best, and damaging to your reputation and relationships at worst. 

If your goal is to help more people, which I am sure it is if you're reading this and in my orbit, then take a few extra minutes to refer the right away. And if you don't have time to do it right, wait until you do. A great introduction sets the new relationship upon a solid foundation that can get off to the right start faster & easier, and...