Posted by Jahari Davis on 3/30/06 3:38pm
Msg #109853

Question

Ok, I just spent the day going around prospecting local title companies and mortgage lenders for business. I was turned down at every last one of them and was told they have notaries. So I gotta ask, where the heck is everyone getting their business from? Are we getting them from signing services, closing services, lenders and title companies that are willing to outsource all their closings or what? I felt like a jackass. Anyone got any insight on this at all?

Reply by Charm_AL on 3/30/06 3:42pm
Msg #109855

That's ok, we've all done it. Sign up online with the companies. 99% of my work is from different states. Don't feel like a jack butt, you were marketing yourself! Have you gone to the signing central tab at the top of the page and registered with the companies there?

Reply by kkdmiddleton on 3/30/06 3:55pm
Msg #109860

It pays to go in person even if they don't need your service

right now, you never know, down the road they may be sooo busy they can't handle of the signings for the day and need to have you come in for an hour or so and help do closings. I work for a TC here in VA. They do all of their business in house, but this friday I'm going for an hour to do some closings for them. They have like 3 to 5 closings every hour and they are SWAMPED! This may happen where you are and they will remember you because they saw and talked to you personally. YOU will stand out in their minds before anyone else!

Reply by Dorothy_MI on 3/30/06 3:55pm
Msg #109859

Start right here

Janari, best place to start is right here on this board as Charm said under signing central. That is a very good place to start. Also, one tip is keep a list of companies you've signed up with. Right now this may sound like an unnecessary step, but if you sign up with the 200 - 300 companies we recommend, believe me pretty soon you will forget who you signed up with and they all start to run together. After you've gone completely through this list, google signing services and start wading your way through that list. It is really much easier now than it was 4- 1/2 years ago as almost everyone now has a web site, most of which have a sign up area instead of sending or faxing to each one - if you could find their information. When I first started out I spent 40+ hours a week just signing up with everyone I could find. It really is a good idea to not have all your eggs in one basket so to speak.

Reply by Jahari Davis on 3/30/06 4:28pm
Msg #109866

Re: Start right here

I've applied to a few and I've joined the NNA and have gotten the NSA section membership. I've been working on that list in Signing Central heavily. Going down one by one, searching the posts for reviews good and bad. I got a call today from a company I hadnt even signed up with but because I was in a meeting and couldnt take the call directly I missed the signing. I"M still learning and trying to get comfortable with marketing myself. Did anyone else feel a little weird marketing themselves? After leaving each business, I kept saying to myself, "I need to work on something of a script." Ideas on that anyone?

Reply by MistarellaFL on 3/30/06 4:42pm
Msg #109869

Good news

When I had about 50/6months under my belt I went to market myself to TC's locally. I got the feeling that as soon as I drove off they tossed my business card in the trash can.
Now, 3 years later, they will actually use me. In my area they are not in any hurry to hire people without a certain amount of time-based experience, unless you already have title experience.

Reply by Dorothy_MI on 3/30/06 5:52pm
Msg #109901

Re: Start right here

Three years ago I subbed at a local title company mostly during crunch week. Of course, they had people lined out the door almost like Burger King at lunch time. The title company I was in, EVERYONE except the receptionist was a notary, so unless they are really, really busy, so busy that it makes sense to hire "just a notary", anyone in the office can do the closing as well as their other jobs. Only when they are that busy will they even think about bringing you in. -- Just a clue, I got more if they only brought me in for one or two loans. If I could do 3 in a row or 3 in 4 hours they got a deal (what I got for local overnight docs each) Many times they would schedule me for 3 loans because it wasn't that much more than the 2 loans at the higher price. And everyone felt they won!

Reply by lulu on 3/30/06 10:24pm
Msg #109962

Re: Start right here

I tried to market in person to the local title company. I would have to agree about having the feeling they tossed my business card the minute I walked out the door. I was quite uncomfortable from nearly the point I opened my mouth. The person acted as if I was severely wasting their time. A script might be a darn good idea. I was just thinking of another possible good idea......once they have passed the end of month crunch, say the next week, might be a good time to go visit them and maybe even a second visit. This way when they are run ragged at the end of month (after you stop a couple of times) they may say to themselves after the eom that 'gee I should give that person a call to get them in here to train in our ways just in case next month'. So hit them a couple months in a row the week after eom.

Reply by MistarellaFL on 3/31/06 12:26pm
Msg #110072

Lulu is right

The way I finally got noticed/given a chance, was to continue marketing (after I got over the rejection issue) and right before the EOM. Finally, someone called in sick last day to fund, and they gave me a shot. Once I got one TC to let me in, the others seemed to think I must be OK.
You have great advice here from others in the field. Good luck to you and keep up the marketing!

Reply by NJ_Notary on 3/30/06 10:20pm
Msg #109960

Answer for ya :)~

Don't feel like a jack@$$. Only feel that way if your NOT marketing yourself. Be proud of yourself and excude confidence. Im not so sure a script is the answer. When someone memorizes a script, the recepient automatically picks it up and gets turned off. If you go in with the basic ideas of what you want to say - your purpose, your product/service, your results, and your info; people are more acceptive. You humanize the experience which people want. They want a human on the other end of the cummincation with them. Not a teleprompting script.

Also remember the 4Ps of marketing. Within time you will gain more confidence. Keep hitting that pavement. Your NOT a Jack@$$. Dont make me come to MI to jackslap some sense into you! lol

Also as a last minute thought. Some great reading material to get: "Who Moved My Cheese", "How to Influence People", "The Art of Selling", and The Fish Series (a series of books-wonderful reading). All of these are books. I dont know how to underline them to emphasize they are books so I placed them in quotations instead.

Keep your head up my friend your on the right path -- your marketing yourself and being proactive instead of being reactive and just waiting for the phones to ring.

Good luck and God Bless!

Reply by MichiganAl on 3/30/06 10:27pm
Msg #109964

Re: Answer for ya :)~

I'd definitely recommend "How to Win Friends and Influence People" and "The Art of Selling." I've taken both seminars as well. "Who Moved My Cheese" is pretty simplistic in my opinion, not much practical help. And the only fish book I've read is "One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish" by Dr. Suess. Does that count?

Reply by NJ_Notary on 3/30/06 10:37pm
Msg #109970

Re: Answer for ya :)~

No sam, 1 fish 2 fish nor green eggs and ham sam I am do not count. lol Its a series of books somewhat to Who Moved My Cheese, just much better if you ask me.

Take Care

Reply by lulu on 3/30/06 10:29pm
Msg #109965

Re: Answer for ya :)~

NJ Notary! You are my kind of notary. These are allllll awesome books!
I wonder, also, if this notary marketing to title companies is familiar with Household Finance (HFC) and Beneficial local offices. Once you have a minimum of one year of signing agent experience under your belt you can contact IREP (Integrated Real Estate Processing) and work for any local HFC or Beneficial office that may be in your area (as an independent contractor, of course). I wonder if using the local HFC or Beneficial as a reference in approaching the local Title and Escrow Company may carry some weight.

Reply by NJ_Notary on 3/30/06 10:36pm
Msg #109969

Re: Answer for ya :)~

Hi thanks for the kind words. They are great books. They helped mold my ideas of thinking.

Reply by MichiganAl on 3/30/06 10:21pm
Msg #109961

Marketing takes time

Marketing is a process, not a one visit answer. You never know when things will change. They'll lose an employee, they'll lose their notary or decide they're unhappy with who they're currently using, they'll get busy at month end, etc. Keep following up on a regular basis. Send them a follow up letter with your cards reminding them that you're available if anything comes up, and telling them why they should use you. Drop by again in three or four months and on a regular basis (without being annoying or taking up too much of their time). If anything changes, you want to be the first person on their minds.

Keep at it. It sounds like you're doing the right things.

Reply by TitleGalCA on 3/30/06 10:36pm
Msg #109968

Jahari...from the source

I'm not even reading any responses here, as this is from the horses mouth...but on the left coast.

Friend, it takes a great deal of time, and hopefully a contact. Get this, I have been in this business for too many years to admit too. Now that I'm well known and received at this particular TC, I am FINALLY getting after hours signings...and hey, I work here!

It is true that escrow officers (here) have their favorites. It is true that a virtual stranger marketing TC's won't get a bite. Simply put, there are too many notaries here, with too many friends.

Yet, don't give up. Hang in there, keep going back. Look for any and every opportunity to strike up a conversation and make a contact, even if it is the receptionist.

There's no magic formula. Just keep doing what you are doing, and keep up the marketing.

Once the dam cracks...it floods. I'm getting more after hours signings that I can keep up with. Hang in there.

Reply by ReneeK_MI on 3/31/06 5:08am
Msg #109991

two more cents ...

Timing, my friend, can sometimes be everything. This being EOM, T/C folks are perhaps not in the mood most conducive to sales pitches. I'd time those visits around the 5th of any month.

Your best bet IMHO is to market to title agents that do nation-wide business. The smaller, local T/C's bend over backwards to do their own closings, just as Dorothy pointed out; while that's in part a financial decision, it's also a risk-factor choice and they're not likely to take any kind of risk on someone w/o considerable experience.

See if you can get some Letters of Recommendation from title co's you've closed for - those can help a lot.

Add one more voice to the 'crowded room' opinion - you certainly don't come across as a 'less than' polished professional, doing all the right things to build your business. One of my fav places for fuel is www.businessownersideacafe.com

Sometimes, the key word is "eventually" =)

Reply by hcampersFL on 3/31/06 7:56am
Msg #110009

To everyone who answered this post

I would like to say Thank You to you all.

Great advice and good directions for pursuing this endeavor.

I have also been questioning myself on this subject trying to figure out the combination to this puzzle.

Thank you so much for answering!!!
Beverly