Updated 6-2-21. I’ve traveled around the country for business for more than a decade. On these trips, I have discovered that Notaries launched their own business in a variety of ways. Some become interested after encountering a Notary Signing Agent during a refinance or real estate transaction. Others eventually become Notaries as a requirement of their jobs, but then look to use their commissions to earn more money beyond the workplace. But there are a few things that successful Notary businesses have in common. Here are four steps to starting your own Notary business.
Read more about starting your own Notary business.
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Step 1. Write Your Business Plan
Scripting a business plan helps you review every aspect of your firm. A detailed plan will help you stay organized and gain a deeper understanding about your market. A good business plan also establishes certain key benchmarks for your business, such as revenue goals and number of clients. Like many others, I didn’t know how to write my own Notary business plan at first, so I recommend using Score.org.
Score is a nonprofit association dedicated to helping small businesses get off the ground and achieve goals through education and mentorship. Considered a trusted source for small business plans, Score.org offers free webinars and business advisors to help you formulate a great business plan.
Step 2. Hone Your Self-Development
Take the time and make the commitment to invest in your greatest resource — you. For example, in order to become better at social media marketing, you might wake up 30 minutes earlier each morning to read a trade journal or a book that increases your knowledge base. Excellent books on social media marketing include Get Rich Click by Marc Ostrofsky and Guerilla Marketing by Jay Conrad Levinson.
Because loan-signing assignments often form the core business for Notary entrepreneurs, you should make sure to keep up with the demands of complying with increasing government regulation and industry requirements. This will keep you in the game and make you more competitive.
Step 3. Find A Mentor
Mentoring focuses on pairing you with a more experienced business owner, which can substantially increase your chances of building a busy and successful practice. Your mentor may eventually facilitate sharing knowledge, skills and insights through dialogue and collaborative learning.
Mentoring also encourages engagement and continual learning. You’ll most likely find an appropriate Notary mentor by attending local or national Notary workshops, which provide a large pool of prospects. You can also find a mentor through the NNA’s online communities.
Step 4. Join A National Or Local Notary Association
Workshops and professional memberships help you stay up to date on new laws and compliance issues, assist with expansion and boost your networking opportunities. Several associations even donate to your local community by sponsoring scholarships and grants.
Remember, all of us have distinct personalities and diverse life experiences to draw from. Mastering these four strategies doesn't guarantee instant success, but it does increase your chances of being a successful and service-driven Notary.
Daniel Lewis of Carmel, Indiana, is the founder of Lewis Notary Services, Inc., a nationwide mobile Notary service. He also teaches Notary best practices and is the NNA’s 2010 Notary of the Year.
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