Notary Public Underwriters Blog
How do I get customers for my notary business?
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- Published: January 2, 2020
Whether you work full-time or notarizations are your side hustle, being a notary can definitely bring in some extra cash…. IF you can reach your potential customers. At Notary Public Underwriters, we’ve put together a list of notary public advertising tips to help you be a success!
Shout it from the rooftop!
“Hey, do you know a notary?”
Word of mouth is probably the most important advertising tool you can have as a notary. Potential customers trust the advice of their colleagues, friends and family. Make sure YOU are the notary that comes up in conversation. Tell everyone you know about your new business, and always have professional business cards on hand. Vistaprint.com is a good choice for fast, easy and affordable notary business cards.) Be sure all your interactions with customers are timely, professional and courteous. If they don’t like you, they won’t recommend you.
Online is where it’s at.
In this day and age an online presence is a must! If you don’t appear reputable and legitimate when your customers look you up on their phones or desktop, you just lost yourself a client.
Not a computer person? Does web and social media jargon make you sweat and your eyes start to cross? Relax, you don’t need to have Mark Zuckerberg's skills to create a simple and credible web presence.
- Set up shop with a website.
There are many easy and straight forward website building platforms to use. GoDaddy.com, Wix.com and SiteBuilder.com are just a few good options to look at. You don’t need a corporate sized budget with these guys, and they usually have great (and at no additional charge) customer service. Consider starting a notary blog on your website about your experiences as a notary. Blogs are an excellent way to drive web traffic in your direction.
- Make yourself available on online notary directories.
When potential customers complete an online search for notaries in their area these are sure to pop up. Don’t just list your name and number; make sure to complete your profile with experience, prices and detailed contact information. In a day and age when people automatically get a background report on their Uber driver (complete with picture and license plate) they definitely want to know all about the notary performing their notarization. Most of these directories are free or charge a small fee.
- Get active on social media.
Set up professional pages on sites like Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. Intimidated by all the options? Start with just one and move on from there. Many potential customers have a strong comfort level with social media, which makes it an excellent and cost effective advertising and contact tool for you to utilize.
- Spend some cash.
Once you have built an online presence through a website and social media, you can consider driving more notary customers your way through pay-per-click advertising. Pay-per-click advertising, also known as cost-per-click advertising, are ads or sponsored listings that appear at the top of search results on search engines (Google, Yahoo) or websites. You, the pay-per-click customer, bid on keywords that your potential customers may search (for example “notary in Tallahassee, Florida”). You can select many different keywords and specify how much you are willing to spend per click. You only pay when a person clicks on your ad. The key here is to be specific with your keyword selection and advertisement language. You don’t want to run down your notary advertising budget because you selected the non-specific keyword “notary” and one hundred people from California clicked on your ad while you are currently residing in Missouri.
- What you create, you must maintain!
Internet marketing is not like a crock-pot. You can’t set it and forget it. Think of it more like making a sauce. It requires constant stirring or it gets all lumpy, burnt and gross. No one wants to eat that. This is the most challenging part of online marketing. You MUST stay current on all your online marketing outlets. Check on them daily and update with new information when you can.
Think people and be social.
Reach out to individuals and businesses that consistently require notary services. Let them know about your notary experience and the services you provide. Hospitals, real estate offices, law firms, senior living facilities and car dealerships are all good places to start. Set reminders in your calendar to touch base with these potential clients on a regular, but non-intrusive, basis.
Join the crowd.
Becoming a member of local organizations is a great way to gain exposure and lend your business credibility. Your local chamber of commerce, land title association, bar association and other business networking groups are all great choices. Don’t be the meeting wallflower! Introduce yourself and your services to as many people as possible. If this is intimidating for you, set a personal goal of speaking with at least 3 new potential clients per meeting.
Know your competition.
Reach out to notaries currently serving areas you don’t normally service. You can refer business to one another when you aren’t available or when a customer needs a notarization in an area you don’t cover. Compare advertising strategies together and brainstorm ways to build your notary business.
Respect the law.
With all these different advertising venues, it’s easy for things to go a little sideways. Make sure you know the laws in your state for advertising as a notary.
For example, are you a polyglot? Can you speak many different languages? We’re suitably impressed. Just keep in mind in some states it is illegal to literally translate the words “notary public” into another language in your advertising materials. In other countries, people who hold these titles can offer legal advice or perform other tasks that are prohibited to notaries in the United States. Esto es muy malo!
Make certain you stick to the law. Improper advertising can lead to a fine, loss of your notary commission or worse.
We hope these notary advertising tips help you to be a success in your notary community. If you have any questions regarding your notary commission or notary products, please call us, Notary Public Underwriters, your notary bonding agency. We are always happy to help. You can reach our notary service department at (800) 821-0831.