Posted by terry weir on 11/18/05 11:06pm
Msg #77590
marketing tips
would love some tips on how to market my self. i have been signing since june and it seem like some weeks i will get 5 or 6 calls and than not a thing. would like to know what i'm doing wrong.
| Reply by SSEmobile on 11/19/05 12:17am
Msg #77601
Well ....... how much marketing HAVE you done already?
Assume, not enough! :o]
Seriously, look back a few "PREV" pages in this forum. You'll find untold amounts of great info from folks doing pretty well indeed.
| Reply by Anonymous on 11/19/05 1:06am
Msg #77610
What you did wrong was jump on the bandwagon a little too late. This industry is in decline and you just jumped on board. Good luck.
| Reply by Joan Bergstrom on 11/19/05 1:30am
Msg #77612
Free Marketing Tip
One of the best marketing tools you have is your name!
I am in my 4th year as a notary and on every chat board for these 4 years I have posted my real name. I can't begin to tell you how much business I have received by posting my real name.
All kinds of companies/title/SS/public/etc monitor this site and also gomobilenotary.com and yet 90% of the people that post do so anonymously or with a alias of some kind.
This is a true no-brainer; I figured it out 4 years ago, when I was a new Notary. I have posted this marketing information 2 or 3 times before this and I suspect that nothing will change in the future.
My question is? Why are people afraid to post their real name when the benefits are so much better than the negatives (being pointed out that you are /stupid/etc.)
On this site all you have to do is "add your link" and everyone know who you are!
Cheers, Joan
| Reply by LilyMD on 11/19/05 7:54am
Msg #77620
Re: Free Marketing Tip
Maybe a more "commercial" wording of your profile would also help. I hit your link and would like to suggest the following:
What you have now >> "have completed 85 signings since i started in july 2005 . I work with several different escrow.co and signing.co.very dependable, punctual, detailed. will travel. will work 24/7"
How about something like >> With the experience of over 85 signings, I work closely with escrow and title companies to provide a dependable, puntual quality service. I will travel further than XX miles and have availability 24/7.
Also, call, call call, call! The companies that you have done a few signings for. If you haven't heard from them in a couple of weeks. Call them! "just to say hi and see if they're expecting anything in your neck of the woods." This has gotten me first dibs on many signings in my area by my "regulars."
Hope this helps.
| Reply by LilyMD on 11/19/05 7:55am
Msg #77621
Re: sorry...that's punctual...n/m
| Reply by Tina_MA on 11/19/05 10:00am
Msg #77643
Re: Free Marketing Tip
>>>.....every chat board for these 4 years I have posted my real name.<<<
You are absolutely correct. I have always posted by name, state, and/or email address on every board I've been on.
Many companies have told me that they read one of my posts, and then went on to check out my website -- having a website is also a good tool.
Advertising is all about name recognition. Think Mastercard, Visa, Nike, Sony, Sears, Target, Kirby, Oreck, Coke, Pepsi, etc. It's all about having your name everywhere.
| Reply by Sylvia_FL on 11/19/05 10:37am
Msg #77652
Re: Free Marketing Tip
You are so right Joan.
I have received a lot of work from companies that have read my posts. In fact, there was a time when a certain signing agent in Florida - won't mention JJ's name - started badmouthing me on the GMN board, I had title companies call me after that who said they liked the way I handled the postings, and gave me work. Also posting on the boards with my real name led to me becoming a certified notary instructor for the ASN, their Chairman of the Board read the message boards and decided from my postings that I was a good candidate to teach their notary classes in Florida.
It pays to post with your real name - and on here to put a link to your profile.
| Reply by Anne/IL on 11/19/05 11:00am
Msg #77656
ITA
The best advertising IS your name...but be careful because it could your worst also....
| Reply by Anonymous on 11/19/05 1:21pm
Msg #77686
Re: I don't post my name and
I stay quite busy thank you. You just need to market to companies not the readers of this board.
| Reply by Anonymous on 11/19/05 3:14pm
Msg #77718
Re: I don't post my name and
Ditto. I get a lot of great advice from Anonymous posters here. Market your name to local title and signing companies, but you do not have to do it here. I live in a big city and sometimes if I cannot get into a title company, I ask who they use and have gone to work for that signing service. Sure I make a little less and likley cannot approach that title company in the future, but I got more experience. For those reasons, I targeted the title companies further away from me so that I could approach the one close to me directly, which I knew would take time to penetrate.
Plus one of my bosses is a small signing company and posts on this board. She uses a generic sort of name, but I over heard her once telling another notary. I search on her name and read also her posts, but I have certain experiences and questions that I do not want to highlight to her so I have been posting anonymously.
While she can be proud of the fact that she has not posted anonymously, she has revealed more competitve information than she should have. Oh well, her loss! Hope she keeps on a posting.
One other thing, I try to call the head closers right around the end of the month when they are really busy. Often if they cannot get a closer or their usual closing company is all booked up, I can get a shot at the business. If you call them at the beginning of the month when they only have a few loans to close that week, they say we have one or two services we use and they do not really need you at that time. Thus, timing is very important in making your call. Also, a lot of the head closers know each other at other title companies, so if you are in with one or two ask who else they know and where. Tell them if they could mention you sometime to the other people you would really appreciate it. Also, ask if you could use their name if you contact the other person at the company yourself. BE SURE TO ASK FOR PERMISSION.
Also be humble. I have more experience now ....and I would really appreciate it if you might be able to help me grow my business by helping me locate some other people to call. It would really help me a lot. Who can turn down that!
Good luck.
| Reply by Joan Bergstrom on 11/19/05 9:51pm
Msg #77755
Re: I don't post my name and
I think you might have missed my point: using your real name/link is a free way to gain business. I think most of us realize that we also need to contact title/signing-companies/ etc.
My posting was a "free marketing" idea not the master marketing plan to promote yourself.
I did like the 2nd annonymous posting that you must contact companies on a monthly basis and "ask for the work." I think the best time to contact signing-companies/title is between the 5-12th of the month as these are the slowest times of the month and people have more time to talk to you.
As we say "just because you've become a notary don't expect anyone to call you!"
| Reply by Signing_Doc on 11/19/05 5:54pm
Msg #77731
Re: ITA
You say the best advertising is your name....I have developed the name "The Signing Doc" for use here in Las Vegas and answer all phone calls with "Doc" Stuart here...I'm not using my "real" name, but as mentioned, you buy by name i.e. McDonald's...you don't go get your hamburgers at Ray Kroch's place...You go to Wendy's....You don't go to Dave Thomas' place...therefore either post with your 'real' name...or your company name....my wife is a loan officer in Las Vegas and we trademarked the name "The Loan Arranger" here in Nevada. She answers all phone calls as "The Loan Arrangers, this is Elaine"...and her team members are also known as "The Loan Arrangers"...
Just a thought...but I agree...STOP posting anonymously...be a mensch...take accountability for yourself and let your actions show your stuff.
(OK...I'll get off my soapbox now....you've been a wonderful audience...good night!)
"Doc Stuart"
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