Have you ever felt completely overhwelmed by all the hats you have to wear as a notary entrepreneur?
We have to be bookkeepers, remembering to send invoices, track mileage, and report expenses.
We have to constantly be building deeper relationships with our current AND prospective customers.
Methodical posts to social media.
Constant updates to our Google Business Profile.
Staying in touch with our network to keep us top of mind.
The list goes on! And on...and on...
It's a lot to manage, for sure.
Worth it, of course, but it can be like juggling spinning plates with rotating blades.
Ouch!
I was about to quit my notary business because I started losing sleep at nght because my mind obsessed over all the things I had to do...and wasn't doing.
The detail work is NOT my strength.
And not doing them, letting them build up, sucked the joy right out of my business.
I didn't know how to hire someone else to help me at the time, and frankly I still wasn't sure if I could afford it back then. A hundred grand a year, or even two hundred grand, after expenses, goes fast.
So I decided to make it easy for me.
I created a list of four or five things (depending on the client) that, if done after every appointment, would make life less stressful for me.
To help me remember them, and create a habit around them, I wrote all down on a Post-It note and stuck it to the center of my steering wheel.
What to Include In Your Post-Appointment Ritual
Let's first define a ritual. A ritual is simply a specialized string of habits, like a routine, that you use at specific times or occasions. For the sake of our conversation, this ritual will take place after every single appointment to help you stay on top of things, deepify your relationships, and give you peace of mind, knowing that your ducks are in a row.
The kinds of habits you include in your post-appointment ritual can vary, depending on your personality, your strengths (and weaknesses), and the goals of your business.
For me, I included things like:
Send the invoice
Communicate with hiring party
Send handwritten note (or through SendOutCards)
Update my bookkeeping (including mileage and expenses)
And I completed these items, ideally, in the car right after the appointment. I always moved my car down the street, or around the corner though, because no one wants a creeper sitting outside their house. You can go to a nearby park, or even a coffee shop if you prefer.
The point is to do it as part of the previous appointment's time allotment. I always built in an extra 15 minutes to give me plenty of time for the ritual. It doesn't always work out, but 95% of the time, I stay up on the important stuff. Worst case scenario, I perform the post-appointment ritual a couple hours later for two or three appointments instead of the one.
I've seen some notaries get creative with their post-appointment ritual. It doesn't have to be all about business stuff.
Some notaries include things like:
Call/text a family member to stay in touch
Call/text a prospect to keep them top of mind
Update their Google Business Profile
Post to social media
Research nearby prospects
Follow up with yesterday's leads
Handwrite a letter to a loved one
Stretch (There are whole routines for people who drive a lot)
Whatever would bring you peace of mind, knowing that all that should be done is being done, can be part of your post-appointment ritual.
Keep it limited to four or five things. You want to set yourself up for success. Choose things you can easily do in your car after an appointment, and if you need to, make sure all the materials are within reach to complete.
Will you share the post-appointment ritual you do or create in the comments below?
To more joy (and better sleep)!
Comments