In my Notary Business Marketing Course, I explain to Notaries should not buy gifts for potential clients like Realtors, Escrow Officers, and Loan Officers. In some States, this can actually get you in trouble and honestly- if they aren’t going to hire you then you are just wasting valuable marketing dollars. Don’t get me wrong, buying lunch or a muffin for a scheduled meeting is one thing but making purchases for unsolicited walk-ins is a big mistake. I was guilty of this myself in the beginning but one day it dawned on me that in no other industry do you get a job by buying some cookies. You get hired as a Notary Signing Agent by being needed, liked, and being the best candidate, and of course, knowing how to market your Notary business adequately. However, there are special times of year that are crucial to formulating new relationships and the biggest is the last quarter of the year- September, October, November, December, and January. Planning for it really should start in August! End-of-year is not only generally busier (regardless of rates) but it is also the last chance for you to make a good impression and secure new relationships for next year which generally starts out slower. So formulating any new relationship you can at the end of the year is important.If you missed our three most recent blogs (which so many of you wrote in thanking us for…thank you back!) you can read them at: After The Pandemic: Listing Sites, Databases, and Signing Agencies Five Free Tips To Increase Your Notary Business Five Ways To Save On Cost As A Notary Business Owner This month at Notary Stars, we are all about Holiday Marketing. It’s even the topic of our Free Monthly Scheduled Event, Notary Stars Unlimited. If you want to talk more about this topic with fellow Notaries then this would be a great session for you to attend. Here are Five Holiday Marketing Tips Every Notary Should Know About Holiday Marketing Should Be Non-Religious, Non-Specific, and Seasonal I have a hard time not being religious in everything I do. My religious beliefs are a part of my life. And yes, work is a part of my life. But I work so that I can live my life and I have to keep work and life separate- especially when marketing my notary business. When you are prospecting for business, or even if you are sending a card to someone you know, you have to remain on neutral ground. We are living in the most culturally sensitive time to the culturally insensitive. Whether you know your client well or not you should use seasonal messages and images to ensure that you will not offend them. I know- there may be at least one person out there who is thinking… “I don’t care if it’s offensive to say Merry Christmas.” And my response to that would be, if you aren’t worried about new business relationships- good for you. I definitely am! Holiday Treats Should Reach Everyone In The Office- Thinking Small Goes Big I have to give credit for this next top to Abraham Zamora, The Notary Entrepreneur, who I’ve recently started doing Podcast with. When Abraham sends out marketing materials he keeps it short, sweet, and to the point. For instance, one of my favorite mailers he did was a card with a mini Rubix Cube KeyChain that said something like “Are You Puzzled About How To Find A Great Notary?” That is brilliant! In a similar fashion you can come up with gift ideas that are meaningful, and inexpensive, and you can distribute them to everyone in an office. Everyone can get the same thing but during the Holidays I recommend not talking too much or at all about business which leads me to my next point. Remember to keep it seasonal and nothing personal. Be Sincere And Don’t Talk About You- They Can See Who Sent It If I walked up to you and wished you a Happy Holiday Season and immediately started shoving my businesses down your throat you probably wouldn’t think I was very sincere, would you? When you are sending Holiday Cards or dropping off those small gifts you only need to identify who you are, your business type, and how to contact you. They know deep down why you are gifting - there is no reason to prove it to them. They do the same things with their clients too. However, I have found over the years leaving out any talk of work in my Holiday messages has gotten me the maximum return. Holiday Cards Must Be Sent at least 7 Business Days Before The Holiday If you are personally designing your Holiday Cards or Postcards in an editor like Canva then you will want to make sure you have time to print them, ship them to yourself, fill them out, and get them in the mail at least 7 days prior to the actual holiday. I personally suggest scheduling a “mail by date” on your calendar so that you don’t miss your opportunity. Video greeting cards from you that are less than 30 seconds are also an excellent idea. One of my marketing students has a video greeting card that he sends on major holidays and he applies these concepts. I get a lot of cards but his cards are always short, engaging, and seasonal, and I look forward to seeing them!Consider Donating To Their Favorite Charity Or Give Options I know, I know- it’s slow and gas prices are still too high. But, everybody loves the kids right? And, everyone loves helping someone or helping someone who helps someone else. Sorry, for the tongue twister there. Consider offering a portion (even if it’s a very small portion) of your proceeds from any signings assigned to you from a particular office to a local charity that will be made in both your and the office's name or anonymously. Make sure to get their permission to use their name if they team up with you. Maybe come up with a selection of local charities and give your clients options. Just be prepared to show proof that the donation actually was made. In fact, that could be another opportunity to contact that office again. A ‘Thank-you’ with the receipt. If you are part of a Notary Group that services the same office, see if you can get others to join. Set a goal with this one! Here’s an example: “I’m trying to raise $500 for Toys for Tots. I’ll be donating 20% of my signing fees from November 1st to December 16th but need your help. During this holiday season, I’d love for you to hire me and help me raise money in the local area for children in need. For every signing, you send to me ‘direct’ I am willing to make a donation of 20% of my earnings in both of our names to go toward this cause.” PS- Donations should be tax deductible. Make sure to check out all of our blogs and podcast at www.notarystars.com for more useful tips and subscribe to Abrahams Podcast to see us film a recap of these tips live. Subscribe to our Youtube Channel to get a notification when the replay of the expanded conversations on this topic go out this month! We really hope that you'll join us for Notary Stars Unlimited to talk more about this topic and that it will help you in growing your Notary Business. Sincerely, The Notary Stars Team Watch The Pod Cast That Goes Along With This Article Below:

Many times, we hear the terms interpreter and translator used interchangeably, but did you know, they are not one in the same? Interpreters convert spoken language orally from one target language to another, in real time while translators work with written messages and requires processing time. Translators work in one direction whereas interpreters are going between two or more languages during the encounter. The main purpose of a notary is to deter fraud. There is an increase when the notary and signer do not speak the same language. During a notarization, it is best if the notary and the signer are able to communicate directly in the desired language. The notary should be able to confidently complete the notarial act. If the notary feels unsure about the document's contents or the signer's understanding of the document, they should decline to complete the notarization. In addition, if a signer asks a notary for a translation (document to document), and the notary is fluent in both languages, the notary may translate the document. When using an interpreter or translator, it is best practice to use a certified interpreter or someone who is competent in both the source and target languages. The Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf https://rid.org Atlanta Translators and Interpreters | Translators USA, LLC https://lnkd.in/gekT4w2K World Translation Center https://lnkd.in/gimvMBuZ If you are in the Atlanta Georgia Area, Notary NeedZ (mobile) is able to provide services for American Sign Language users. If you are in need of a notary, call 770.756.6290 ph/txt.

You are not just a Notary Loan Signing Agent- You are also a business owner. This means when the economy shifts, or changes, it affects everything for you. It might seem, for some, that it is just higher gas prices and interest rates but everything else is going up too as a result! As a business owner, you may have to make adjustments so that you can ride out times like these. Sure, you could just bury your head in the sand and hope that it doesn’t last long- but what if things linger longer than you can keep your head buried? Last week we gave you Five Free Tips On How To Increase Your Notary Business. And this week we want to fuel that fire with: Five Ways To Save On Cost As A Notary Signing Agent, Business Owner Tip #1- Start With Your Home and Home Office Call Your Cable/Internet Company, Cell Phone Provider, and Car Insurance and ask if there is any way they can reduce your cost. If you’ve been with them for one year it is highly likely there is room for re-negotiations. Shoot low and offer them your budget and tell them you might have to cancel if you can’t get within that budget. Some cell phone providers offer discounts if you are a business (LLC) and you work in the Real Estate sector. While you are on the line with them, go paperless. Many companies offer discounts for going paperless. We’ve seen up to $10 savings on bills just for going paperless. It may be a little harder but often times discounts are also offered on how you pay your bill. Meaning some companies offer autopay discounts whereas others offer discounts if you pay a certain way (like echeck or card). They do this because they save money if you pay that way. So check on savings for payment methods while you are on the line with them. If you aren’t able to find savings- explore other options. Car insurance providers are highly competitive as well as cell phone carriers. PS- For this one, you still want Unlimited Data on your cell phone service as GPS pulls from data and Notary Loan Signing Agents use a lot of data! Tip #2- Start Tracking Your Tax Write-Offs Notary business owners can be worst at this, and that’s okay. Most of us were just trying to work for ourselves because we do a great job at what we do but were underappreciated. We don’t have that business training or HR reminding us monthly to plug in our receipts. As a business owner, you have to know what you can write off! Notaries can write off mileage, supplies, oil changes, tire changes, office space, notary training, renewal applications, RON Platform fees, marketing cost, and more. Did you know you are even able to write off your Notarial Acts and deduct these from your Loan Singing Agent fees? This is definitely the year you will want to write things off on your taxes. These may not be costs that you can pass on to your clients but become a year-end tax deduction- and deductions add up for business owners. And, if you file your taxes annually you've still got plenty of time to go back and add up your deductions. Check out two Notary specific accounting software to assist you with organizing your taxes at: Notary Stars | Accounting Software Tip #3- You Can Cut Expenses On Supplies Without Compromising Quality Anywhere you shop for supplies will probably have a ‘Customer Loyalty program. Sign up for them everywhere. Staples, Office Max, and Office Depot have them and you can recycle your toner cartridges with them and earn extra points. Mrs. Beth earned over $300 in 2021. V4Ink on Amazon is great for saving money on Toner & Drums. It carries most brands. However, since these are refurbished toners and drums you always want to buy an extra just in case you get a dud. Ronnie has used these for years and as long as you buy more than what you need (which is still less than the actual cost) it can help you bring down your cost of printing. The only downside is you can't trade them in at Staples since they are off-brand. Team up with one or more of your fellow notaries and buy in bulk at Costco or Sam’s club. Split the cost and the product. Need to replace your electronics? Buy used or refurbished. We just did an entire training session on Team Work and the benefits of forming a local team (including cost savings). Tip #4- There Are A Lot Of Ways To Save On Gas & Vehicle Maintenance Use a credit card for these purchases that offer ‘cash back on that category. And, if you are not yet creditworthy for credit cards there are many programs out there nowadays that still offer cash back for purchases like Walmart. You can fund the new Walmart Card and use it online or in-store for up to $75 cashback per year. Or you can set up a Dave Account to help you grow your credit score, borrow up to $250 until your paycheck arrives, receive cashback on certain purchases, and also find a side hustle (yep, they have a whole section on that!) For Gas, apply for a Gas-station branded Rewards credit card (think Shell or Mobile) and combine that with fuel rewards at a particular station. Most people don't know that when you enter your phone number at your local grocery store like Safeway or Fryes you are earning discounts on gas at the pump! Check out your grocery savings receipt to find out what gas station pumps you should enter in your phone number for more savings at the pumps. Or, you can use Apps to find the best prices in your community….GasBuddy, GetUpSide, Waze, and Walmart. Yes, Walmart helps you save at more than 1,200 gas stations as well www.walmart.com/walmartPlus/FuelBenefit. Consumer Reports says to fill up early in the week as gas prices tend to be higher Thursday thru Sunday. Coast a lot more when you are driving….it doesn’t need to be just the gas pedal or brake pedal. Accelerating slowly also helps to save some gas usage as well as engaging the cruise control on the highway. Tire pressure also can affect your gas mileage so make sure you are at optimal psi for each tire. Use the right oil during oil changes and skip the 3,000-mile reminder. Most newer vehicles use synthetic oil and can go much farther than that sticker on your windshield. Check your manufacturer’s handbook for your vehicle. You might get more than twice the mileage between oil changes. If you are able to change your car at the time going hybrid or electric might be a viable solution for you if you are in the Signing Agent industry for the long haul. And vehicles are also tax deductible! #5- Luxuries Don’t Have To Go Away! Groupon is an excellent way for you to save money on your personal life. You can often get hair, nails, massage, restaurants, and even get-away packages for up to 50% off for first-time customers. And, although you may not let a new hairstylist into your life you might consider trying new service providers for new things while you are trying to save money. Try buying discounted gift cards. Gift cards to specific stores or Salon services and even visa cash cards can be had at a discount of anywhere from 2% up to 15%. It’s like buying money at a discount. Try www.raise.com, www.cardcash.com, www.giftcardgranny.com, or a directory of discounted sites at www.giftcards.com. Just wake up your spidey sense when visiting these reseller sites. Consumer Reports says to use the cards immediately lessening the opportunity for the original seller to use the value after it is transferred to you. Look for sites that offer a money-back guarantee. There are still many ways to save on cost! These are just to get your mind churning! The Notary Stars Team 7-24-2022 Watch The Replay of the Podcast with Abraham Zamora, The Notary Entrepreneur Below:

Some of our Notary brothers and sisters are worried about the slowing down of files with interest rates being higher- but do not worry!Everything is okay!!! There is still plenty of business out there! If you've been in the industry a long time you probably already know our industry has always been feast or famine and things are just leveling out. Still, we are seeing a higher percentage of Notaries who are throwing in the towel after just getting started in the industry because they are worried, they won't make it. And, although there may be some out there that hope that the Notary pools will dwindle down for less competition, no one should give up just yet. Even if you aren't worried (which we hope not) you should always be thinking about how to market or expand your business. Here are Five Free Tips That Can Help You Increase Your Notary Work Tip #1- Focus First On Signing Agencies Who Have Business In Your AreaAll of us know that we have to sign up with every single Signing Agency out there (even if we are trying to work direct) so that we can fill up our calendars. Notaries often make mistakes by going after Signing Agencies that do not have enough business in their areas. I personally like to call this "spinning your wheels." It's like you're pressing the gas but not getting anywhere. So, try this! Take 1-2 months to see who is actually sending you the most business while you continue to sign up with Signing Agencies. Over the course of a month see who sends the most orders from Snapdocs, Signing Order, and Zig Sig. Once you pinpoint exactly who has the most business in your area then you will know who to zero in on. Here's a list of Starter Nationwide Signing Agencies on and off these platforms if you need to get back to the grind of signing up. We've got more on our expanded hiring list, but this isn't all about Signing Agencies! We know you want direct business as well. And you should be diversifying as much as possible while things are leveling out. Tip #2- Use Your Time Between Appointments WiselyWhen I was out in the field building up my own company while signing clients, I would use the time and distance I already drove to seek out more clients. If I ever had about two hours, or more, between my appointments I would map the closest Title Agencies to where I ended up and I would walk in. I, of course, was already dressed for work and I always have my business cards, resume, and any credentials that are commonly asked for in a nice folder, so I never had to have them request anything from me after I left. In the beginning, I got a lot of no not right now, or come back later... but the Yes was what I lived for! Tip #3- Change Your Approach With Signing Agencies and Direct ClientsOwning a Signing Agency has given me a lot of insight into this one. It really doesn't matter if you are working with a Signing Agency or Direct Business. You really want to focus on what you can do for them! Do not let your first question be, "Do you have any business in my area?" Start with something like "How can I help you grow your business?" Or "What do you look for when you are hiring a Notary?" Here is a free video we did at Notary Stars about Direct Business titled What They Know That You Don't Know. Tip #4- Create A Local Notary Coalition or AllianceThis might sound a bit cheesy to some of you, butit works. In fact, that's exactly how I got Unlimited Ink Notary off the ground! Initially, our Nationwide Signing Agency was a local team of just 8 Notaries who divided our city like a piece of pie, and we protected the business we brought in, only bringing more Notaries into the mix as needed. They became my work family, and we helped each other in so many ways until we made it! We will be talking about forming healthy partnerships with other Notaries at our next Notary Stars Unlimited episode this Wednesday. If you haven't registered yet- consider joining us by Registering Here. It's absolutely FREE! You can also watch all of the previous sessions on that registration page as well if you are interested. Tip #5- Expand Your Services Here's a list of services you can consider adding: Apostilles, Life Care Planning Packages, Trust Signings, Wedding Officiant, I9 Verifications, Car Loans, Purchase Option Agreements, Credit Repair Services, Finger Printing, Field Inspections, Photo Assignments, and more! And here's a list of clients you shouldn't forget exist as a Mobile Notary Public & Loan Signing Agent: Attornies, Medical Offices, Hospitals, Rehab Facilities, Assisted Living Facilities, Social Workers, Psychiatrist, Counselors, Senior Living Apartments, Schools, Real Estate Agencies, Churches, Car Dealerships, Insurance Agencies, Hotels, Banks, Jails, and Adoption Services. Also, check out our most recent CommuniTip about "Spreading Your Business Cards Around Like Pixie Dust."as it fits the mood for this email. We really hope that these tips help keep you pointed in the right direction and a lot more confident. Please have a wonderful week and don't forget to keep checking back on all of the free training & resources we have available throughout NotaryStars.com. Watch The Podcast Replay About This Article with Abraham Zamorah The Notary Entrepreneur Below:

During the Pandemic, things were just different for us Loan Signing Agents. For the past two years, we've been so busy we let a lot of things slide- like regularly updating our Notary Listing Resources. Hiring parties didn't mind so much during the Pandemic because they were busy but now that things are returning to normal- some of them are deciding to narrow down their hiring list. This is why we wanted to send out this friendly reminder for some things we all can do now that we have a little more time on our hands in order to continue building healthy relationships with existing and potential clients and make sure we aren't discarded as a Pandemic Notary. Here are a few tips for things you should be doing now that things have slowed down that will ensure that you get brushed off as no longer active. #1)Update Your Websites and Business Listings- Freshen up your websites with your new working hours and during the holidays find ways to add non-offensive seasonal artwork to let people know you are still working. As the "seasonal" Signing Agents make their way back into full-time work you will find that keeping yourself marked as working will work wonders for you! And yes, we are hearing nearly every day Notaries stating that they are going back to their full-time jobs as things are slowing down for them. This will mean an uptick in files for everyone else who works full-time as a Signing Agent. And it will level out! Note: July, September, October, November, and December are great times to add some extra clip art to your website or to your photos. If you aren't great with photo editing- try Canva! It makes it so easy. Or simply just use text on your website. Little things like this can show you are still active without seeming desperate for work. #2)Update Your Biographies on all Major Notary Platforms- Make sure to update your biographies with your new order counts. For those of you who were here for the full two years of the Pandemic, you might have really raked in some higher order counts on a single platform but it may not be showing on all of them. Most sites only calculate their own order counts so direct people to where you were working and how many orders you've now done. SigningOrder, Snapdocs, ZigSig, BancServ, and Signature Closers are a few places you may want to update your bio. If you took additional training courses- make sure those stand out in your profile as well. And if you are taking time down (or reducing your own hours now) make sure to adjust your hours or use the vacation settings for the sites that have them. Now that things are slowing down you could easily get dumped from a lot of list if you aren't responding when you say you are available. This is a fact! #3) Don't Forget The Usual Suspects!NotaryRotary.com, 123Notary.com, NotaryStars.com, OnlineNotariesPublic.com, NotaryCafe.com, Yelp, and Google My Business all should get an update as well. Updating resources like these help you get picked more often. You never know who might have passed you up before when you only had a few orders. If you haven't updated your listing in two years (because you were really busy) people might now be thinking you gave up. Here's our final tip: Start adding "LAST UPDATED ON XX/XX/XXXX for the next little bit when updating your profile and schedule time to come back and update every month or so. It is tedious but as we return to a normal flow of business you don't want to get marked as inactive whilst some abandon their listings. We really hope that this information will help you. Don't forget to check out our Free Replays of Notary Stars Unlimited at Notary Stars Unlimited where we provide you valuable information every month just like this!

Below you will find the Top 10 National Loan Signing Agencies and Notary Management Platforms rated by Notary Stars in no particular order. If you are looking for more Signing Agencies to work with- check out our free National Hiring List for a list of great companies and our Expanded Hiring List With Reviews exclusively for Notary Star members. If you'd really like to impress these companies show off your Notary2Pro and NotaryStars.com training when applying. #1 SigningOrder.com - is a notary management platform used by 100's if not 1000's of Signing Agencies across the country. Your Notary listing must be filled out in its entirety to get much work (including a photo). Reputation is everything to the Signing Order Notary Management platform which means you will need to keep your quality score up with the companies that you work with and they will continue to send great work your way! Notary2Pro graduates are often given a preference within the searches by many companies. Make sure you upload your Notary2Pro certification! #2) Snapdocs.com - is generally utilized by Title agencies more so than Signing Agencies because it is a rather expensive platform. The start-up cost of using Snapdocs is fairly pricy for smaller Signing Agencies as well as the per order fee. Snapdocs has a great deal of business and reputation is also important here. You also have to keep your response rate high or it will go down. If you aren't working, make sure to put up your vacation responder! #3) BancServ.com - is part of Fidelity National Title. Fidelity rarely approves direct Notaries any longer because they want their Escrow officers to use their Notary Management Platform. BancServ has a once-a-month onboarding and it's recommended to complete the video interview to get more Signings. #4) Signature Closers - is now owned by Stewart Title. This platform offers a hybrid function of Signing Agencies, Title Agencies, and Signing services all in one. Reading the orders really helps. Notary2Pro graduates are often given a preference within the searches by many companies. Make sure they know you are a Notary2Pro graduate! #5) ZigSig.com - is an up-and-coming Notary Management Software. You earn points for things like completing components of your profile and completing orders correctly. You can also let them know when you've completed your NotaryStars.com training to get an extra boost in your profile. #6) Amrock - is owned by Rocket Mortgage fka Quicken Loans and is one of the busiest Signing Agencies in the country. They are very selective so when applying through every training course you can think of at them to get them to hear you out. If they turn you down the first time- follow up in 3-month intervals. Notaries retire every day. #7) Solidify - handles mostly Chase Bank business and pays usually higher than most companies. Onboarding is easy and if you are nice to them- they'll keep the work coming! #8) Mortgage Connect & Inspire Closing - generally handles mostly Bank of America and Wells Fargo loans (and usually refinances). Mortgage Connect and Inspire closing are sister companies. Onboarding with one puts you in the database for the other but it never hurts to give the other a call to ensure they can find you and know you want to work with them. #9) First American Loan Mortgage Solutions - is an oldie but a goodie. You will want to be with First American as a Signing Agent because they are one of the largest Signing Services in the country and First American is one of the largest Title Companies in the United States. Get in good with them, do a great job, and they'll keep calling you! #10) Unlimited Ink Notary - is a Signing Service located in Phoenix Arizona. It is owned by the same owners as NotaryStars.com (and the author of this article). Unlimited Ink Notary processes over 3000 transactions per month nationwide and is growing exponentially. They are headquartered in Phoenix Arizona but offer files nationwide and have their largest presence (as of 2022) in Arizona, California, Colorado, Washington, Florida, Wisconsin, Nevada, Parts of Texas, and Pennsylvania.

As interest rates continue to climb in 2022 many Notaries may find themselves looking for alternative means of generating revenue- and that's okay! Side Hustles and lateral moves in in business are a large part of our industry. And, if you're still growing your Notary business while things are slowing down one thing you may want to look into is the ever growing Credit Repair Industry. I disovered credit repair while trying to bring up my own credit score (which I was able to do on my own). I must say though that it did not come without a great deal of leg work and research when I first started working on my own credit. I was doing this part-time, behind the scenes, never dreaming of becoming a Credit Repair Specalist myself but as I got closer to my own goals I'd talked about it so much with friends and family they started asking me to help them as well. The next thing I knew I was learning more, and more, and more about Credit Repair (which turns out to be fairly easy). During my journey I discovered Credit Repair Cloud, a software that helps you repair credit easily and also trains you on every aspect of Credit Repair. Daniel Rosen is to Credit Repair as to what I am to Notary Stars- a relentless teacher who keeps the information flowing. I actually realized when I took his course that I was getting a taste of my own medicine because he was so in-depth. The way I see it is that Credit Repair is an excellent side hustle for any Notary. You are alreayd making contacts with Realtors, Escrow Officers who an refer you, and Loan Officers who can send business your way. And, right here after the Pandemic and a not so great economy- there isn't any hurt for clients who are trying to get their lives back on track. Daniel does a free onboaring session online if you are intersted you can watch it anytime at: Credit Repair Cloud Full Disclosure: This is something that I am learning myself and if you decide to take the journey as well- you will need to work with Daniel Rosen and Credit Repair Cloud. I do not intend to open classes on this topic as I'm very happy with my mentorship here at Notary Stars. The only purpose of posting this article is to guide those of you looking for Side Hustles to something I've invested my time and money into.

We often hear a great deal on "the Internet," about Signing Agent Fees and you may be wondering if they are collapsing? This is a great question but in order to answer it, we really need to look at the bigger picture. Yes, fees were higher years ago when there were only a handful of Notary Loan Signing Agents in every town across America. Things were different altogether back then actually. There were very few Signing Agencies in existence and there were only a few Notary Platforms that generally charged the Notary to advertise. If a Title Company wanted to book a Notary Loan Signing Agent- they picked up the phone, called you, and they booked you themselves. You may be asking yourself what happened? What has changed over the years is a couple of things. First and foremost, Signing Agencies became more prevalent but that wasn't the end of our problems. Yes, they took their cut but they did their fair share of the work getting business for the Signing Agents, answering their questions, scheduling, and sometimes more. The next problem that entered our industry was Big Tech like SnapDocs. From our research it has been discovered for a new client to onboard with Snapdocs it's $2,500 to start an account and $25 per order! This means if you have a file that would pay $175, SnapDocs is getting a minimum of $25 off the top of the order, and then the Signing Agency or Title Agency using the platform is getting a cut on top of that. That means a $175 file is now down to about $100 for the Notary (or less if the client is paying less than $175- and a lot of them are nowadays). The third problem in this industry is actually THE INTERNET! And that will take a fresh paragraph to discuss. The Internet didn't just cut our fees because it made things easier- it cut our fees because it saturated our market. Take a look at YouTube and just enter anything about Loan Signing Agent and see how many people are on just this channel alone talking about how they made "Six-Figures" as a Notary Loan Signing Agent. And then, look at how many views some of those videos (which were once paid advertisements) have. Influencers inside and outside of our industry keep pulling at the heartstrings of people who really need a stable career but they aren't telling them the truth. WHY- YOU ASK? Because they get money for you signing up for their courses and they get money for their YouTube videos as well. Simply put: The more Loan Signing Agents there are in every zip code across America the less of a demand they are to Title and Escrow. You combine that with Singing Agencies (which are needed to help manage busier offices), and Platform Management fees- there are too many hands-on everyone's fees! By The Way- Please stop blaming newer Notary Loan Signing Agents for taking "low balling fees." There are several factors that go into what is considered a "low ball fee." Location, Distance, Size of Package, and Volume are several factors that make up a Notary Loan Signing Agents decision to accept an order or not. And sometimes, it's just about gaining experience and building relationships that will increase fees over time. Here Is Where Most Notary Loan Signing Agents Get It All Wrong (Are You Ready?) 1. This is a turn-key business in a lot of ways but marketing is not one of them. The cost to enter this industry is insanely low and requires very little education. Do you know of many other businesses you can start for under $2500, or even $1500 in some States? One thing The Internet or those Make Six-Figure courses won't tell you is that those who make the bigger dollars invested in marketing their business. We can assure you- Six-Figure incomes don't come easy! 2. You kind of have to work with Signing Agencies to fill in your calendar but you really should be focused on direct business- and a mix of direct business at that. This means you should be working with the General Public, Signing Services, and Title Companies Direct. As a business owner in a niche market, beggers can't be choosers until they've proven themselves to their clients. Start out with competitive fees and slowly increase them over time. Never burn bridges! You may need those "low-ballers" one day to fill in your calendar. And who knows, you might build a relationship with them to get them to pay you more. 3. You have to set yourself apart for Direct Business. Every Title Company has hundreds of Notaries reaching out to them every month. What makes you different? What does your resume say that other Notary Signing Agent Resumes don't say? Do you have more training listed- is it verifiable? Do you have more signings- how do they know? 4. Your paycheck will be a direct reflection of the amount of work you put into marking your business. Relationships and signings will not just fall from the sky into your lap. 5. Your cost is your cost! You need to make sure to adjust your supplies (even including your vehicle) to keep your cost low!

For many Notary Loan Signing Agents who started within the past two years, you may find that signings are slowing down as interest rates begin to rise again. You are starting to see text offers are slowing down and direct business that focused primarily on Refinances is drying up. If you find yourself looking around and wondering why more people aren't feeling a little more anxious about this, you aren't alone! Those of us who have been in the industry for a while though understand that Real Estate and Lending have always been feast or famine. But don't worry! During the COVID-19 Pandemic, our industry as mobile Notaries was in demand more than they've ever been before for two solid years. Title and Attorney offices that never used mobile Notaries before turned to us and we were able to build new relationships and grow. But as things simmer back down to "normal," even those new relationships we built have less and less work to go around because most markets are a bit saturated for two reasons. The first reason is that during the Pandemic there was a major influx of Notary Loan Signing Agents joining the workforce due to more free time, job losses, and overall demand. The second is because the cat's just out of the bag now about our industry, thanks to Social Media, and everyone now knows what we can make if we do our job well. It is a fact, that between the end of 2019 and the Present Day there were at least 3-5 times more Notary Loan Signing Agents in every zip code across the United States than ever before. So as we return to normal on so many levels you may be asking yourself How Do I Stand Out? There are five key components to a Notary Profile that you should consider in order to stand out within the databases to help you continue to receive more work as a Notary Loan Signing Agent. #1) Profile Name & Photo (Not A Logo & Business Name) It is always best for Notaries to use the name that is written on their commission as the name on their Notary Profile and not a business name. If you have formulated a business entity, such as an LLC, you can input your payment name on most profiles differently (or on your invoices when you send them), then on your actual profile name. If your business name sounds like a Signing Service and you are not contracted as a Signing Service with the Signing Agency or Title Agency they are going to pass you up thinking you are outsourcing work when it is not allowed. There are people who will disagree with me on this but a professional photo is needed when you create a Notary Profile. The more professional the better. Many of us make more money than 90% of Realtors but will complain about having to spend money on headshots. You should take a good look at the top producing Realtors in your area and see if you can't find out who did their headshots and order some for yourself. Remember what they say- a photo is worth a thousand words! #2) A Very Strong Well Written, Honest, Biography #3) References #4) Additional Training Here is an example (we ask you to adapt as your own, not just copy and paste): My name is John Star and I have been a Notary Loan Signing Agent since January 14th, 2022. I have taken the National Notary Association's Certified Signing Agent Exam and I have also continued my education with Notary2Pro and NotaryStars.com where I've obtained an additional 150+ hours of training for various loan products. Because of my training, I am comfortable with Purchases, Cash Purchases, Simultaneous Closings, Sales, Refinances, VA Loans, FHA Loans, Reverse Mortgages, Hard Money Loans, Agricultural Loans, and more! Please feel free to verify my training through Notary Stars using my membership ID: 0000. Since I began my career as a Notary Loan Signing Agent I have been able to work with some amazing companies who would recommend me such as Amrock, Mortgage Connect, Superior Notary Services, and Unlimited Ink Notary to name a few. I entered this industry because I love working with people, traveling around my city, and truly enjoy making sure things get done right. I am equipped with a dual tray laser printer, a mobile laser printer, and a reliable scanner for great quality scan backs. I also take pride in not charging more for using these items because I want to make sure your closing goes smoothly. I like to see myself as a problem solver, not a problem creator. #5) Credentials Must Be Up To Date & Sufficient So many notaries let their E&O, W9, and Background Check either lapse or fall to the wayside when updating their credentials. You have to think about your profile like a Resume and one that is buried within over 100,000 other resumes- because it is! Notary databases have anywhere from 80k to 100k Notary profiles. The larger the city the more competition you will have. You just can't leave any stone unturned when it comes to the opportunity to get noticed!

Most of us have seen those orders come over on our phones for a signing that is listed as a Loan Modification. And if we have taken those orders, we have found the packages to be pretty small and the whole signing process to be quick and easy. And then there is the Forbearance question that we run into on other loan signings and maybe we don't quite understand what that's all about. Let's take a quick look at it here. A mortgage forbearance is a temporary pause in mortgage payments approved by the lender. The lender agrees in advance to allow you to stop making payments or make a reduced payment monthly. The Pandemic gave rise to this and it came onto our radar when we started hearing about businesses that were unable to operate and mass amounts of people were unable to work and pay their household expenses. Borrowers with federally backed loans were given the option of requesting a Forbearance through the government program known as the CARES ACT. This allows for a 180-day forbearance followed by one 180-day extension if needed. During this time the foreclosure process is halted and re-payment doesn't begin until the forbearance period is over. So, yes it is only temporary relief from payments. How is this amount re-paid? Lump-Sum; A lump sum is due for the missed payments at the end of the forbearance period or the lender may agree to add that amount to the outstanding balance of the original mortgage loan agreement. Original loan terms remain the same. Partial Payment Plan; If you were able to pay a portion during that forbearance period, the lender may agree to raise your regular monthly payments temporarily until the missed payment balance is paid off. Payment Deferral; Some lenders may offer to place the entire amount of missed payments under a new and separate loan that doesn't have to be re-paid until the homeowner refinances or sells the home. Loan Modification; If you can't afford your original mortgage payment after the forbearance period ends, maybe because of a change in job or number of hours you are given work, you may be able to modify your current mortgage with your lender. That is when the loan is re-written and a smaller monthly payment is offered to cover all outstanding loan balances. Even though we have seen some loan modification orders come through on our apps, we should expect to see that number increase in the coming months. As of July 1, 2022 lenders will begin offering Loan Modifications to homeowner's with Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac owned loans. And we probably will be getting random calls from homeowners (Lender typically have them find their own notary) to help them sign their payment deferral loans as those will need notarization as well.

Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA) and the Notary As a Notary have you ever wondered what the GLBA regulation is? Let alone why you need to be concerned with it? Chances are you have seen it referenced in your SPW Code of Conduct and the exam you likely took with the NNA as a Notary Signing Agent. I'm guessing you want to know what that has to do with you as a Notary Signing Agent. I promise I'll get to that, but first you should understand exactly what you are dealing with here. This is also known as the Financial Modernization Act of 1999 and is a Federal law enacted to control the ways financial institutions handle the private information of individuals. It not only governs when they can share Non-public Personal Information (NPPI) but also how they can share it. Several agencies contribute to the regulations within the act as well a have a role in enforcing those regulations. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Federal Banking Agencies Federal regulatory Agencies State Insurance oversight Agencies The Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) State laws also play a role and can require greater compliance, but not less than what is required by GLBA. What is considered Non-Public Personal Information (NPPI)? An individual’s name Income Social Security Number Marital Status Address Birth dates Education level Employment data Amount of savings or investments Loan or deposit balance Credit and debit card purchases Account numbers Consumer credit reports Where the individual may have an account – what financial institution A phone number – if it is an unlisted number Bio-metric Data (Fingerprints) Geolocation data Internet and other electronic information Tax information Who is regulated by GLBA? Financial institutions Non-bank mortgage lenders Real Estate Appraisers Loan Brokers Some Financial or investment advisers Credit reporting companies Pay-day lenders Debt collectors Car rental companies Car Dealers Courier services Universities Tax return preparers and accountants Banks and Credit Unions Real Estate Settlement providers, including Title and Escrow and Real Estate closing attorneys There are two major components of the GLBA; Financial Privacy Rule, this restricts the sharing of NPPI Safeguards Rule, requires a security plan both as a company policy and Cyber Security policy It also states that when information is shared with unaffiliated parties, the unaffiliated party must handle the information in accordance with GLBA regulations. GUESS WHAT? We and Notary Signing Agents fall into that ‘unaffiliated party’ category. Just like the companies we do assignments for, we are subject to the Safeguard Rule; Insure the confidentiality and integrity of NPPI Protect against common cyber attacks, cyber threats and attack vectors Protect against data breaches, data leaks and unauthorized access to or use of NPPI Regulations apply to any record containing NPPI whether paper, electronic or other form There are other regulations that we really don’t need to get into here as they really don’t apply to us…yet. Under GLBA, Financial institutions who disclose NPPI to a third-party vendor or service provider (that’s us) must enter into a contractual agreement. (Which is why we will typically sign an agreement with the companies that we work with) Non-compliance penalties are steep. $10,000 fine for each violation for individuals and up to 5-yrs in prison. As Notary Signing Agents, we really need to think twice about how we are handling NPPI received through our loan signings. Don’t use public computers or printers Don’t store loan documents or order assignments on our computers Always store loan documents un a locked drawer until it’s time to go to your appointments Don’t allow your children, spouse, or friends to use your business computer Never allow someone to ride-along to your appointments Don’t use names and address you have from our appointments to solicit new business. Ensure your internet connection is secure and that you have other data breach safeguards in place on your equipment. Recent GLBA cases brought by the FTC include: Ascension Data and Analytics. In 2020, the Arlington, Texas, company agreed to an undisclosed financial settlement after a vendor, OpticsML, was found to have stored customer financial information in plain text in insecure cloud storage. PayPal. The online payment processor agreed to pay $175,000 to the state of Texas in 2018 to settle GLBA and Federal Trade Act violations that compromised data security and privacy of customers using its Venmo peer-to-peer application. TaxSlayer. Hackers were able to access nearly 9,000 of the Augusta, Ga., online tax preparer and customer records for several months in 2015. The FTC said it failed to implement a comprehensive security program. Source; https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/privacy-and-security/gramm-leach-bliley-act

As a business owner you wear many hats. There is soooo much you need to know. You need to know how to run your business, how to be the Notary, the Signing Agent, the Administrative Assistant, the Advertising Manager, Business Manager, Tech support, Purchasing agent, and the bookkeeper. You also should know what type of insurance you will need to protect all that you do. As a Notary we are familiar with the Bond that is required of us to purchase in order to receive our commission. That Bond is a type of insurance protection, but it is for the benefit of the public that we serve. Not us. It is there to provide some level of monetary compensation to someone who was harmed by our actions, either intentionally or un-intentionally in connection with our Notarial duties. This is a requirement by our state governing agency but does not really benefit us at all. If someone makes a claim against your Bond, you will be required to pay back those amounts. And, you can be held personally liable for any costs above the amount of your bond. Not to mention your own personal legal fees, court costs and other expenses. As a Notary and as a Signing Agent working with loan documents we need to purchase E&O or Errors and Omissions Insurance coverage. Working in the General Notary field, it's a really sound idea to have this type of insurance. If you are working with loan documents it is a requirement by most hiring companies to carry a certain level of E&O. Errors and Omissions insurance is designed to protect Notaries. This type of insurance provides protection from your Notarial errors, unintentionally violating the law, financial damages from a notarization mistake or omission, if you are named in a lawsuit even if you did nothing wrong, notarizations that occur by forging your signature and counterfeiting your seal, and will cover any payout of damages to an injured party after settlement. It should cover all your legal expenses without paying a deductible and in some cases can be used to repay a loss on your bond. Cyber Crime coverage. This would be for claims made relating to RON or Remote Online Notarizations. While this is still a very new area, the potential for lawsuits related to the security level during a RON signing on NPPI on your computer even if only temporarily is growing. This would the internet and anytime you store provide protection from data breaches and other cybercrimes that may compromise sensitive information along with threats such as malware and hackers. Cybercrime insurance would cover economic damages that arise through a failure of network security or privacy controls which can cause any type of loss. General Liability coverage. Every business has some type of General liability policy. We need this as well because we are business owners. This would cover everything else we do during the course of business. Think in terms of running over a homeowner's mailbox when you pull up to a signers home. Or somehow leaving a stain on their carpet when you come in. Or knocking over a valuable vase with your briefcase. Or worse, stepping on their tiny dog and causing an injury to the poor little one. It could be something even more costly, like starting a fire when you plugged in your scanner at the table. None of these situations would be covered under your E&O policy and could potentially drain your savings account or even put your home and other assets at risk. If you insurance agent tells you that your homeowners policy should cover you for these things, ask him/her why they don't take your business seriously.....Hmmmm? Questions you should be asking; When shopping for insurance of any kind, it's never a good idea to just go with the lowest cost. We need to ask some questions to make sure we know what we are buying. What does it cover? What are the policy limits? Sometimes policies are written for a total amount but only 1/4 of it is available per claim with the balance as an aggregate limit for the term of the policy. Ask those questions. Another really important question would be; Is this policy paid out on a Claims-made Basis or an Occurrence-made basis? A Claims-made policy only covers incidents that happen and are reported within the policy's active period. An Occurrence-made policy has lifetime coverage for incidents that occur during a policy period regardless of when the claim is reported. In our business, it could be years before you are presented with a lawsuit for something that you notarized. So for us, it is important to seek out policies that have claims coverage on an Occurrence-made basis.