And not getting picked for any job
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It takes time, patience and being REALLY, REALLY quick on accepting.
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Thats where the whole problem is. If you tap to quick and you realize it after an have to cancel you get tossed aside. And if you take to long someone else gets it and your still lucked out. There has to be a better way!
BINGO!!! There is a better way. It’s called working direct.
Market your services directly to the title/escrow companies and/or lenders. That way, you get hired directly and skip those leeching in the middle – ie. platforms and signing services. Working direct, you get the full notary fee; you don’t share it with the platforms/signing services.
It takes work. You market every day to title/escrow companies and lenders. And, you don’t stop marketing just because you’ve been in the business for several years. I’ve been in this biz for over 20 years and I still market daily.
Good luck!
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@kingdombuilder2023, It’s completely understandable to feel a sense of frustration when embarking on this journey, especially as a newcomer in the notary field. Remember that building a thriving and successful business, particularly in the notary industry, demands a substantial investment of dedicated time, focused energy, and unwavering consistency in your actions. It truly necessitates a significant amount of what many might characterize as “grunt work,” and it’s of paramount importance to approach this entrepreneurial endeavor with the correct frame of mind and a positive attitude. Embrace the inevitable challenges that will inevitably arise, and constantly bear in mind that the achievement of true success is fundamentally built upon a solid foundation consisting of what I like to call the “three P’s”: unwavering patience, relentless persistence, and unyielding perseverance. These admirable character traits will undoubtedly serve as your most valuable allies as you navigate the inherent ups and downs inherent in the process of building and growing your notary business to its full potential. Here’s a simple yet incredibly effective tip: implement the “Go for No” philosophy. Begin by constructing a comprehensive list of potential leads, including names and contact phone numbers, targeting the specific market segment you aspire to serve. Commit to reaching out to individuals on that list daily, whether through phone calls, emails, or even handwritten correspondence, and methodically collect every single “no” you encounter. Continue this process consistently, and you will eventually start to hear those rewarding “yes’s”. Once that happens, your business will be on its way to achieving remarkable success and growth.
I am curious about this. Are you calling these places? Emailing? Going in person? Maybe all the above but what is your preferred method? When you do contact them, is it just straight to the point of who you are and what you do? Please share your tips and tricks!
Whatever works for you in your particular circumstances – so, I guess I’d say all of the above (phone call, email, in-person visit). Some people may be in rural areas where there are no title/escrow/lender offices.
Do a Google search for offices close to you for in-person visits. If you’ve already done some signings, then you already have some names and contact information on companies you may want to reach out to and who are already familiar with your work and work ethic. Do a Google search for those companies you may want to work with and reach out and introduce yourself and ask what their process is to be added to their database.
NOTE: Do NOT attempt to contact those companies during End of Month (EOM) as that is a VERY BUSY time for them and you’d only be irritating them. Right to Cancel (RTC) for refi of primary residence is 3 business days from date of signing (Sundays and national holidays don’t count). EOM takes into account that RTC.
Good luck!
None of the hiring companies can resist if you contact them and offer to work for free.
@kingdombuilder2023 First, Welcome! Second, don’t get discouraged. It can take some time to get going, and do market yourself. Do research on the signing services as well as the title companies. (Notary Cafe is a great resource from my experience.) Those seem like obvious things, and it can be frustrating when you are doing those things but nothing seems to be happening.
We have all been there, so we understand your concerns.
@cfletcher has some good advice in his post. I will add that when you get your first job, be proficient and polite. Make a good impact on the signers as well as the title company/signing service. There may come a time when the signers need a notary not through a signing service.
The title company may reach out to you independently if their contract with the signing service gives them that discretion or may even request you. Always thank them for allow you to assist them with the assignment in the closing report if there is a chance for remarks.
Communicate with the signing service and/or title company for questions or issues promptly and professionally. This can go a long way in showing your dedication to doing a good job. Check and double check your work before you leave the signer. Don’t “leave money on the table” by having even a simple mistake that could reduce your fee or have you make a second trip to the signer. No one…NO ONE…is ever going to be 100% perfect, but you can control what you do to make the signing easy and complete before walking away.
Above all, never let them see you sweat! YOU are the professional…you got this! The first job and subsequent jobs are right around the corner!
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No one asked me, but I’ll answer anyway. When I started I signed up on all the sites. Then I found all the Title offices in my state. If they had an email I used it. If they had a website I registered. Sometimes a title companies notary registration page takes you to Signing Order dot com. I sent out letters of introduction. Whenever I worked for anyone I took the title info off the settlement statement and sent a Thank You card with my business card and service area indicated. After about a year I published a rates sheet. I figured out in the region what competitive rates were to get awarded a lot of jobs. I’ve been raising rates every year with minimal resistance. I didn’t start out at the highest rate I feel is good for a specific zip code. I am in rural Eastern WA state. Everywhere is a drive. Some towns are more in the middle of nowhere than others but they are all sort of middle of nowhere. If I have developed a specialty it is the locations mobile notaries are simply not providing service to. Those fees are going up every six months right now, because it’s the right thing to do. I found a competitive rate that gets assigned a lot of work. I still contact Title Contacts as well as scheduling contacts as they become available. I still send notes and letters to the local Title Offices that hire direct. I am more expensive than a lot of area notaries. I’ve been told that many times. But after almost six years I have gotten to where I refuse to lose money. I still might not make as much as I could, but you don’t start out with no assignments and get direct business at the highest rate ever charged. It’s not realistic to think that’s a fair expectation no matter how many times we hear how great it is we exist. I make hardly any errors. I have gone months and months without an error. Notaries should also keep in mind - you may not even hear about bad errors that require a re-draw or a new notary be assigned. Maybe you get a chance to fix your mistake but that is not always the case. So don’t assume there is anything such as 100% error free. Don’t advertise you have never made a mistake. No title or escrow officer or lender or signing service will ever believe you. The best you can hope for is, you get a call and can correct an error without leaving your desk.
I find currently I am so busy I would not find any time to be on the phone calling people to hire me. I’m happy with my volume right now. So anyway. That’s my opinion on how it can go.
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Takes time friend. Also how much E&O do you have? What services are you advertising? Do you have a scanner, can you print on the road?
When I started my journey I increased my E&O from $25K to $100K…that’s when I started getting calls. Before you know it, your email will be blowing up! Be patient and good luck.
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@kingdombuilder2023 There is much wisdom & myriad insights found within the Notary Cafe database (utilize the Search Function) that will guide & benefit you directly in the development of your business.
Here are a few to get you started:
