6 Ways to Make More Money as a Notary
Thanks for visiting to find out five ways you can make more money as a notary. We deal with hundreds of notaries a week, and almost all of them are looking to expand their business. So,
This List is a Great Way To Expand Both Your Business and Your Services
6. Look Into Doing Both Mobile and Remote/Online Signings
Yes, the world is changing, but the more the world changes, the more it stays the same.
Here is the cold hard fact. Businesses are going to need Mobile and Remote Notaries. So being ready and able to do both is a really good idea.
Remember, this is a client decided way to do business. You cannot foresee your needs. Clients might:
- Feel more secure.
- They might have a client of their own who requests it.
- Remote might work for one of their pipelines, but not another.
- They might just not want to change. (We know a major bank that still uses Internet Explorer) (We’re shocked the CEO doesn’t come to work in a horse and buggy)
Any way you slice it. Your clients are going to need both, so you should probably do both.
5. Remind Your Current Clients of Your Availability
Some might think this would be bothersome to the ones you’re sending this to, but I feel this is a good way to keep your name in the minds of those hiring.
I have notaries that send me an email once a week, if not more, just letting me know they are available for signings. Some will even call me asking if I have anything in their area. By them doing this I know that they want to work and when I do need a notary near them, their name is in my head and I’m going to most likely call them first.
In this business, it’s all about people knowing your name and the areas you cover.
4. Cold Calling Potential Clients
Go online and search for Title companies and Signing Services. You should try and make a habit of calling at least 5 new ones a day. If you repeat this practice every day and stay consistent, you will find this is very effective. All you have to do is ask who handles the scheduling of notaries for closings and ask how you can be added to their list.
If you stick to this, your phone will be blowing up with more signings than you can handle. Cold calling is not the easiest thing for some people, but the more you do it, the easier it gets. Once you get clients don’t stop cold calling, as companies come and go.
3. Don’t Turn Down the Smaller Jobs if You’re Available
This is so true for the services Signing Signing offers, as we schedule more than just real estate signings. Some of these might include Structured Settlements, or simple few page signings. Now, most of these don’t pay as much as real estate closings, but when you break down the time and cost to do the signing, you’re making the same, if not more.
And don’t forget, individuals need notaries, too.
The big part of this is these files are typically harder to schedule.
So when a notary is found that is willing to cover these signings, I guarantee you, the notary’s name is now in that scheduler’s memory. Who do you think the scheduler is going to call when more signings come up in that area? If you really want to do this on a Full-Time basis, don’t limit yourself, you have to diversify your work to make more money as a mobile notary.
2. Become a Certified Signing Agent
The National Notary Association (NNA) is America’s top source for notary supplies, educational material and Signing Agent certifications. Their certifications include online training and exams, making it a breeze to make more money as a mobile notary.
This is number #2 mainly because this is going to be a standard to perform Real Estate closings. A lot of Lenders and Title companies are making it a requirement that the notary going out must be a Certified Signing Agent, have a back ground check, and have E&O of at least 25k. They are doing this because in most states to become a notary is as simple as going online, taking a short course and paying a fee and you’re a notary.
Problem is then these notaries are being asked to perform signings where they are expected to have some knowledge on the items they are notarizing. What happens then is because the notary is not familiar with the documents and the deal falls through or it doesn’t fund because of mistakes.
Getting certified has its advantages as well.
Most sites that Title, Lenders, and Signing Services use have an icon or indicator that a notary is a CSA. When they are looking for someone new, who do you think they are going to call first? Also, when you’re certified you’re typically put at the top of the list of notaries on that site. Another plus to this is the instant credibility you give to your name as a CSA. This allows you to market yourself in such a manner that presents you as an experienced and educated notary. Getting certified is only going to benefit and further your career as a Mobile Notary.
1. Answering Your Phone
This is #1 for a reason. That is that most of your work is going to be received by phone calls. Some work gets accepted by email, but, the majority is still scheduled by phone. When a person is scheduling they typically have more than one. So they have to get the file they are on scheduled.
Schedulers typically call their go-to.
When those people are not available they move down the list. They keep calling different notaries until they have it scheduled. So if you’re letting all of your calls go to voicemail, chances are you’re going to miss out on work. Even if you’re planning on calling them back, by the time you do, they might have it scheduled. Even when you’re completely booked, try and answer your phone because at least that way that scheduler knows they can call you anytime for an assignment. Additionally they might ask what your availability is and this gives them an option. So if you pick up your phone on a regular basis, chances are those calls are going to keep coming in and you will make more money as a mobile notary.
Hopefully this has helped some to build their career and make more money as a Mobile Notary.
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This is great! I cold call for real estate but forget to do so for the Notary business. Thanks!
Excellent info. Thk you
Great info and tips! I especially like #4 and the strategy for contacting title companies.
Thank you for your help. I was aware of eveything except the cold calling. I can’t wait to pass my Signing Agent exam.
Those tips are true!
Great info!
I’m just getting started as a notary. These tips are great and take some of the nerves away. Thanks
That was great information.
Thank you so much
Thank you for such super info.
Excellent suggestions. Thank You!
Thank you for the reminder!
Great suggestions!! Thank you
Just getting started in the Notary business and looking into getting certified as well. This information is definitely useful. Thanks for sharing!!!
I am new too and live in NJ. I have been scouring the internet trying to find training to get my certification, but I am having no luck at all! From everything I am reading you do not need tobe certified in NJ, but I want to be and I want to learn as much as I possibly can! Can anyone point me in the right direction please?
Not sure how close you are, but Union County is holding Training Seminar this September.
https://www.tapinto.net/towns/scotch-plains-slash-fanwood/articles/union-county-clerk-joanne-rajoppi-presents-nj-not
As a member the NNA, I highly recommend them. The organization is a great educational arm of the business, as well as providing nationally and industry-wide recognized training, certifications, supplies – a one-stop shop. There is a contingent of NJ notaries that attend the annual educational conference, so you may find a mentor close by. Give them a look – NationalNotaryAssociation.org. Hope this is helpful.
This is great information. Thank you so much for posting it.
I’m also just starting as a Notary and seeking to become a CSA. This is very encouraging information!!! Thank you for sharing!
Thanks for the Great Advice, would it be a good ideal to have a website also?
if so, can you recommend a site builder?…Thx Again
Thank you so much for the information! Can you tell me how to get Fidelity certified? Thanks in advance!
Really great article – still holds true in 2019. I will definitely use these.
This information was excellent! Thank you for the notary lesson, I will take heed to your advice!
Thanks so much for the information. I have been a Notary for many years, and didn’t know about being a signing agent. I am now certified through NNA and am going to start my business soon. Thanks again!
What is involved in a Debt Resolution Presentation? Approximate number of documents, how many notarized signatures needed?
Also what is involved in an application assignment?
Thank you.
Loan- Closers pays $75 On up and has a great site to upload docs for faxbacks,
Timios $120
Premier Lending Services (PLS) $100
Sign up with Snapdocs- the site is great, fees are all over the map due to multiple signing companies use it.
WFG Lender Services $90-100
Convenient Closers LLC $75 on up
Very good information. I have been a notary for 16 going on 17 years and I’ve completed well over 8200 Notarizations.I have so many notary books that I can pretty much feel Up a pretty good library shelf and still Need to buy low shelf. I’ve been doing it now as a mobile notary since I started originally.The one thing that I will say about this form of occupationIsYou have to be proactive, if you are not proactive and you do not try and find business then business is not going to miraculously find you. And number two would beIf you want to sign any high-end documents so I suggest getting your Loan doc signing certificate or certification because once you do that your numbers just jump up like crazy. I staying contact with as many title companies as I can not just as a cold cold but it is now to the point where I can walk into every title company in town and walk past the front desk past the front door without even saying a word and just go visit all the escrow officers here in California normally accustomed to working with me. I work with about 27 Notary signing companies And about 102 Escrow officers locally.
Currently I would say on a slow week I average between 14 up to 24 25 signings a week on a slow week. but normally I am currently doing anywhere from 6 – 10 signings a day. it keeps me fairly busy can’t top my real estate company that I work with as well. Because I am also a real estate agent. I work full-time and I honestly event for tax the last 15 years due to the real estate business. And with that being said I will say that realtors are the Artist working individuals if they do works that I have ever seen in my entire life! We did not make much money at all so some of us will decided to make a second form of income fall back on what we know and I did this after I quit my nursing degree and working at a hospital. This can be a very lucrative business. I have three other notaries that I give workout you when I don’t have the ability or I am completely unable to accommodate a company. I never tell a company know and I always negotiated within my price even if they match my price where I needed to be I always negotiate with them at least $20 dollars more than what they offer. Because some of the companies don’t offer you anything and when you see the documents in the signed final HUD see that they charge four times more than what you were paid and you’re the one burning your gas and printing all that other crap! So if anyone would ever ask if this is a good business I always tell them it is an amazing business just be prepared to have some money set aside for repairs on the printers for purchasing a high-end printer which is what I have done and I pay I thousand dollars for my toner and for stage color and it prints out on average anywhere from 60,000 up to 90,000 individual black-and-white pages. That’s before I have to replace the toner. But in the long run I found that that was much more financially sound when it comes to a decision as to what you’re going to do. I also have a separate printer in my car which allows me to print documents on the go if need be. So I will make this year and for working only part time for the most part due to family issues this year somewhere around $193,000 – $217,500 just this year.
I will tell you right now that is not being lazy that is always being there and answering your phone and that is knowing your business. that is also doing your best to get a five star review by every single client that you meet at the signing table. I usually start my day somewhere around 10 o’clock in the morning and I finish somewhere in between 8 PM and 9:30 PM. I try to stay within a 50 mile radius of my home. This allows me just enough time to do a have to do for the day as well as make sure that I have enough fuel to last me at least two days. It does allow me to get a new car every year and it also allows me to have a nice house an older house but still a nice house. But I will tell you right now I earned every single solitary penny that I make! It Is good to buy stuff in bulk right now Amazon has a pallet worth of legal paper I think for $1200 and that’s somewhere over I think 6 million pages. You can also buy a pallet of letter-size it will last you hundred times longer than legal. And I believe that one’s somewhere around the 900 up $1,000, on Amazon. But once you make that purchase can gives paper away and still be in the black! Always try my best to make sure I have a back when I I am unable to make see please. If there’s an appointment that is 25 miles away and another one that is 2 miles away I will always assigned it to mile away appointment to somebody else and I’ll take the distant one because I want to make sure that those were for me sometimes are taken care of and want to work with me.
I’m sorry for the long book I did not mean to do this. It’s Just kind of happened. If there’s ever anything that you have a question about or ever wonder how I’ve managed to do so much in this industry you’re more than welcome to hit me up. I was forget to go back to the Q&A it just never pops my brain.
Thank you for your thorough post. I got a lot out of it.
Is it possible that maybe we can connect so I can ask you ore questions over the phone? or email?
I would recommend calling the office line – 727-817-0000. Someone will be happy to help you.