TLDR; angry noises
Edit: Deleted everything.
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Iām sorry to hear this is happening to you, Nobleā¦but this is one of your best posts ever. Newbies, read and believe. This is a dose of real-world honesty that no $500 training course or YouTube video will ever give youā¦
Youāve worked hard, Nobleā¦I have no magic words of advice or fixes except keep your chin up, dig in, cultivate those relationships youāve developed and keep on keepingā on. How about making contact with some area attorneys, along with walking directly into banks/lenders and realtors. Alsoā¦maybe try to move your GNW alongā¦stress it on your website.
Best of luck to you
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Something strange is happening, indeed. Somehow, some folks have bought into the claims of notaries who boast earnings of $10-12K per month in this notary business. Think about that for a minute. Is that really possible? I seriously doubt it. There really isnāt that much work to go around nor is there enough time to do it if there was, so donāt buy into that stuff; itās YouTube tuna. I did the math and concluded that one notary in a thousand does that well.
Look, I started out as a notary in March 2021. I donāt claim any whopping success but Iām doing OK for what everybody calls a āNewbieā. Newbies like us must pay our dues (think minor league baseball). Most businesses build slowly and many new enterprises simply donāt make it. Everybody has to read, study, plan, research, build a website, network, advertise, yadda, yadda, yadda. Itās all important and it all must be done. Watch a couple of Shark Tanks and youāll see what I mean.
Iāve experienced the exact same issues as almost all newbies have over the past 10 months and Iāve almost no net profit to show for it. BUT, slowly and steadily, Iām gaining on it. Some SS now pay what I ask every time and they give me good assignments. My GNW is increasing every month and YELP! accounts for a lot of it. Iām also getting assignments from happy clients who give me repeat business because I did a good job for them.
Point is, itās beginning to happen. And Iām in the most competitive arena there is, Southern California. There are 3 1/2 million residents in my county alone! Notaries are everywhere. And, I still get my share of jobs. So, why am I telling you all this? Certainly not to brag. Iām hopeful by sharing my experience, I can help all newbies understand that becoming a successful notary is a marathon, not a sprint. Perseverance, tenacity and grit (the same attributes necessary in all jobs) will win the day. Donāt buy into all that get-rich-quick stuff you hear from notary trainers. Thatās like listening to Tony Robbins. What a LOAD.
To help get you going, hereās my Top 10 tips for managing your new business. I hope youāll find something meaningful in one or more of them.
- Monitor your time use. Keep a time log of your activities at 15-minute intervals for several days. See where your time and energy goes then start applying yourself where the rewards are greatest, not just where you happen to be. To get your new plan in gear, make a āTo Do Todayā list and faithfully stick to it.
- Learn to say ānoā as a rule, rather than as an exception. Make ānoā your normal response to invitations and solicitations and youāll cut unwanted commitments and responsibilities. Accept only those engagements of benefit or real enjoyment to you.
- Make decisions fast ā and get in the habit of making decisions without full information. Delay gains very little and great opportunities may be lost. Ask yourself āwhat is the worst that could happen if this decision is wrong?ā If the āworstā is bearable, go ahead and make the decision.
- Look ahead and make goals ā you should have short-term, mid-term and long-term goals. You can see as far ahead as you choose to look. Stay flexible, but keep alert for the future so it doesnāt catch you surprised and unprepared.
- Get your body and mind in shape. Budget some time for exercise and make sure you get enough sleep. Familiar advice, but important for maintenance of your energy level. Avoid stress by changing things in your life one at a time ā not all at once. Eat right, and donāt skip meals, so your performance level stays as high as possible all day long.
- Buy extra time ā Equip yourself with forms, machines, specialists and service people to conserve your own time for work that only you can do effectively.
- Assert your rights ā Donāt let others bend your ear for no good reason. You have the right to make good use of your time and energy, not to have it wasted by careless people with less to do than you do. Speak up to maintain effectiveness.
- Control your telephone time ā Plan calls as you plan your travel, carefully, economically, and in advance. Arrange to have your calls held in voice mail while you work at important tasks and return them all at once. Reserve a certain time of day to make outgoing calls all at once, too. Resist the urge to drop an important project for a phone for a call that can wait.
- Standardize ā Itās worthless to do repetitive tasks more than once if they can be automated, standardized, condensed, or even eliminated.
- Remain focused. Too much time is lost mining, defining, refining and opining. When your course has been set, get going! Stay on task and see the job through.
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No thanksā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦.ā¦ā¦.
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Well on the positive side. You now know what works and what doesnāt. Focus on what worked for you.
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That is the main way of getting direct work. Find someone willing to or who likes you enough to give you work. Sometimes itās not what you know, but who you know. Keep following up. Itās a marathon, not a sprint. I kept reaching out to the same escrow officer starting in May and she just started using me in October. If the market is BOOMING where you live then there is enough work, you just have to find it. Also, donāt get hung up on Youtube. Measure your success by your own standards, not by others because 1) everyones journey is different and 2) they may not be telling the full story. Patience, Persistence and Positivity is what keeps me going.
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in response - I am an oldie goldie at this - let me try to explain what I know
- People Lie about their income from being a certified signing agent
- There seems to be more competition in different areas- less in night signings, weekends and Holidays. If you want more jobs take those. Remember most people have to work normal hours 8am to 5 pm so they try to schedule nights and weekends or days off - sucks for us but thatās how it is.
- A signing company or title company will give the gravy to the notary that they already have on file not one from a blast text - that way at the end of the year they donāt have so many 1099ās to issue
- When you do a job for someone - donāt forget to thank them and praise them for giving you the opportunity - that helps immensely
- Do not let lowballers (which are usually signing companies have you because all you get then is lowballers calling you especially on snapdocs because I think but I am not sure that they see the other prices you will accept for jobs - they are users and keep some of the money that was sent over for you by the title companies- tell them what you need and if they know they canāt give what you are worth to you they drop off like flies. Try to get friendlier with title companies
6ā¦ No matter what you are given keep your spirit and telephone voice upbeat - wait till you are sure you have hung up before you call them what they really should be called - If you are not making enough money being a signing agent, find something else you know and like to do on the side even if it is a not for profit like delivering meals to old people during the day - it will do your heart good
- Make sure you try to get as much info about a job before you say yes to doing it
- It takes years to build up a repertoire - no instant gratification here baby!!! Go get um.
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Great Advice. Thank You !
Thanks everyone for the replies. I was really discouraged and confused about my future when I wrote this. Thankful for the community. I canāt talk to anyone in real life about this. They donāt get it haha. Very grateful for your kind words and understanding. 
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No thanksā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦.ā¦ā¦.
No thanksā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦.ā¦ā¦.
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Whatever turns you on, cake baking and giving pieces to all my neighbors works for me (I try new recipes out on them) VIPNotaryCO - great idea, cool stuff - money producer also. What is the most important here is its not always busy as a signing agent and you canāt sit around waiting for the phone to ring. If anyone needs help keeping a positive attitude while waiting - donuts and coffee are everywhere, try to just get out and say hi to someone. I have done that. (and leave your business card)
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THIS ā¦ ALL OF THIS 
I felt every single word.
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SERIOUSLY!! get one @noblenotary615 . I bought one based off her suggestion and I HAVE noticed a difference in my income. Call it chance, fate or whatever but it has worked for me. Thank you @VIPnotaryCO for the tip!
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Hello NobleNotary,
I agree and would say that my experience is quite similar to yours. I have spent a considerable amount of money, on training, license, background checks, equipment, and supplies since May 2021. It is mid-November 2021 and I have earned $600.00. I will continue to attempt to recoup my funds and get into a positive bottom line for Gossett Notary. Thank goodness the commission does not expire until 2029. I know I will have to recertify for SOS. Maybe, there is hope for me. Thank you for sharing your honest experience.
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Check your inbox:) I want to help
You are most welcome. I am so glad that youāre taking my suggestions seriously.
Hi VIPnotaryCO,
Where did you buy your aventurine stone? I am in NY and sorta in the same boat as Noble and I need all the good luck here lol. Thanks in advanceš
Anywhere local mineral/rock shops. I believe in that kind of stuff:)
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I appreciate your honesty. It is refreshing.
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