Hello fellow notaries,
I’m curious — how are you all generating steady income in this business?
Do you rely mostly on platforms like NotaryCafe, or do you market yourself independently as well?
I’d appreciate any insight on what’s working for you in 2025.
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Notary Cafe isn’t going to bring you income. For myself, I’m signed up with as many services and website as I can find. I triple check and have a low instance of error. None at all with many of the title companies.
The unfortunate part is I tend to live paying attention to my phone so I don’t miss opportunities. I think I’m doing as well in my region as expected doing about 30 appointments a month The competition is brutal and I stopped taking work at fees just too low. But there are title companies that tend to prefer me because I get their assignments consistently at my fee.
When I started I sent business cards and a letter of introduction to as many title companies as I could. I received several invitations to register at their website as a result. As experience has grown I’m on a few platforms you have to get invited to join.
It remains rough. When I started and interest was at 3% I did as many as 50 a month.
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@mayrafranco1280 Hmmm . . . this business sector for a business owner/independent contractor is very much like other segments of industry
===>>> Lots of Unpredictable Peaks & Valleys (regarding revenue generation).
Many who enter this business sector because of the “six-figure” used car salesman hype expeditiously learn from first-hand experience that it’s definitively NOT an easy-peasy achievement.
- Some exit the business sector as quickly as they enter it
- Others who need the income, promptly begin to diversify their businesses to include other business sectors to level out the income peaks & valleys
- Yet others realize they can’t (or shouldn’t already have) quit their day job
- Still others try to “stick it out”
- Some realize the ever-decreasing Signing Order [SO] Fees results in a financial loss
- Others realize that rapidly dwindling number of SOs in their region will NOT sustain them financially
- An few isolated pocket regions in the US tout they’re able to garner elevated Fees & an abundance of SOs, but for the majority of business owners in this sector - it certainly ISN’T the case
If you’re interested in the actual income numbers for this business sector, review the following:
SURVEY RESULTS FOR INCOME OF PROFESSIONAL SIGNING AGENTS
Check out the survey results as follows:
SURVEY RESULTS FROM 2017 & 2020
chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.nationalnotary.org/file%20library/nna/knowledge%20center/outside%20pdfs/bulletin-data-graphics-06-07-21.pdf
SURVEY RESULTS FROM 2023
chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.nationalnotary.org/file%20library/nna/download/nna-2023-notary-survey-results.pdf
======
So, the long and the short of it is . . . realistically, “generating steady income” for this business sector is highly unlikely & is regularly volatile.
Can’t be done as it’s market dependent. And the market is bad right now and there’s a LOT of competition out there for the low amount of work available.
2025 has turned out to be my best year so far, but I definitely can’t pay any bills with it. (I’m also a standard notary, not a notary signing agent yet.) I offer notary services as an additional service at my office to help draw in new clients to my main career, and usually advertise them together on Facebook, business cards, and pens.
I share your frustration. I haven’t taken the leap to become a NSA yet, but started to see an uptick in GNW in Q4 2024 and Q1 2025. The past few weeks have been slow, but the bulk of my referrals have come from social workers at physical rehabilitation facilities and assisted living communities that I frequent for POAs, trust amendments, living wills, etc. My Google business page brings in a lead from time to time as does my Yelp page, but like others have mentioned, Yelp leads don’t seem to be very reliable and in the 40+ I’ve received, I’ve had ONE turn into an appointment.
I routinely send out emails as well as letters including a couple business cards and handwritten notes to separate lists, which have resulted in a few appointments over the last year. My LinkedIn and Facebook pages/profiles have brought in a couple of leads, but no confirmed appointments. Traffic to my Google business page is up 10% over the past month, so the needle seems to be moving in the right direction, but it has been difficult to book appointments despite what I feel are extremely low fees in terms of what I’m allowed to charge in my state (Nebraska).
I do receive multiple texts from Snapdocs throughout the week, but the fees are laughably low (Superior Notary Services offering $90 for a 4-hour round trip appointment to sign loan docs just today, for instance). I like the opportunities GNW presents along with the ability to help people, but it remains a side gig for me for the foreseeable future. It makes you wonder what we’re missing!
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Superior seems to start all offers at $90. You have to counter offer. Maybe you get it maybe you don’t.
@wscott42 You’re absolutely SPOT-ON that it’s a LOT of work to launch, operate, & maintain a fledgling business. 
I admire your professional ‘holistic’ approach! 
Your due diligence & efforts will reap bountiful rewards contingent upon your region/location. 
Generating a steady income in this business is truly a grind. As Zig Ziglar once said, “You must prime the pump before you start getting water. In other words, you must put something in before you get something out.”
When I first started, I created lists of mortgage title companies and signing services, researching every notary forum for valuable insights. I sent numerous emails and made countless phone calls. Eventually, the signing orders began to flow. During any down time, I would repeat the entire process again.
Even now, I continue to seek out new contacts. Additionally, it’s crucial to develop excellent cash flow management habits. During peak business cycles, set aside a percentage of your surplus capital to smooth out the inevitable slump cycles.