Posted by anita55109 on 5/8/09 10:46pm
Msg #287886

Web Site Importance

I would like to know how everyone else feels about the importance of having your own website. I am just not sure of how much business it brings in or if it brings any in at all. I think I've only had a person or two tell me they found my website. Mostly they find me here or on 123. Just looking for some opinions.

Reply by Joan Bergstrom on 5/8/09 11:29pm
Msg #287887

I think a website is extremely important!

What do you think of a business in the year 2009 that doesn't have a website?

Reply by Cindy Houk on 5/9/09 12:22am
Msg #287889

Hi , i have been an escrow officer for yrs now find my self wthout a job. this last month I am working of establishing a customer base and have not turned down one. Now the first one I got; I won't name names; but can we here? He never paid me......... I have emailed him twice and he does not get back to me......I actually scanned all his documents back to him as her needed them right away....what do you do when you don't get paid or cannot get a response; so far everyone else has paid. I don't like going out of my way and giving good caring service just to get ripped off..............thank you;

Reply by JanetK_CA on 5/9/09 3:02am
Msg #287894

This is a separate issue and should have been in a new thread. (You'll get the hang of things here after a little reading.)

This is a topic that has been discussed at length - including the last couple of days. You need to find the orange search button and use it. You'll find tons of info addressing that issue.

Having said that, I found your message a little confusing. Are you saying that you're now doing loan signings? If so, you REALLY need to read this board, going back aways. Also, at the top is a tab called "Signing Central" where you can find lots of info about hiring entities. There are some who are known for flat out stealing from notaries. They hardly ever pay anyone.

Reply by Shoshana Roller on 5/9/09 12:52am
Msg #287890

I don't think a website is at all important.

In my opinion, what is most important is how you represent yourself in your profile on the various sites. If you come off as articulate and professional, that is really all you need.

Reply by Stamper_WI on 5/9/09 6:12am
Msg #287896

I have a website

And I do get jobs off it. I think more general notary work comes from there but I also get loan signings. Recently the Dept of Finance asked if they could use some of my wording on my loan modification page on their new page on loan modifications.

Reply by PAW on 5/9/09 7:51am
Msg #287898

IMO, very important if ...

A website is essential, especially if you are willing to do general notary work. I have received numerous requests, locally, nationally as well as internationally for services that I offer. Granted, not too many signing services, title companies or lenders say they found me through my website, but there have been a few. Approximately 90% of the clients who found me through my website, want general notarial services, 8% for Apostille/Legalization processing services, and 2% for signing agent services.

In order for you site to be profitable, you need to (1) have explanatory content to satisfy the reason a person is looking for a notary and/or signing agent; and (2) your website needs to be listed as high as possible from search engines, such as Google, Yahoo, MSN and AOL searches. Keywords are extremely important in both the page "meta" information as well as within the content.

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 5/9/09 8:08am
Msg #287903

Re: IMO, very important if ...

I have the website but have to honestly say that from a business standpoint, it not a major source of business for me. I find that I get more general notary work than loan signings through my website - I also find many people say they found me through "google"...

Reply by MW/VA on 5/9/09 7:59am
Msg #287899

The "rule" seems to be that every business needs a website. I put together a single page site through Yahoo Small Business. It costs me about $13/mo. I don't benefit much from it, but it's there as a link on the profile I have on the major sites. Truthfully, almost all my business comes from the major notary sites. 123 is still #1 in almost every notary search.
Even my general notary work calls come from people finding me there or here at NotRot.
I can't stress the importance of a professional profile on these sites. IMO you couldn't purchase greater advertising & the cost is pretty nominal for the amount of coverage.
My .02

Reply by Stamper_WI on 5/9/09 10:55am
Msg #287913

Mine is free

Just pay for the domain name

Reply by Glenn Strickler on 5/9/09 1:38pm
Msg #287919

Re: Mine is free

Free is best. $13 a month buys a lot of business cards.

Reply by Marian_in_CA on 5/9/09 11:59am
Msg #287915

I think you'll notice that those who have good websites with actual content rather than just being a mini-static brochure are the ones who find their website important.

Reply by LisaWI on 5/9/09 1:11pm
Msg #287917

My experience with my website has been real positive in the loan signing business. I have had quite a few companies find me by my website. Especially lately and they all have been WI title comps looking for mobile closers which has lead to more work. In addition our Network website has helped all of us members.

Just remember, its not just your websites content that is important but also your ranking in a search is equally as important. Most comps/people when looking online to find our services will not go past the first page of the search results.

I would vote for it being extremely important.

Reply by LKT/CA on 5/9/09 1:05pm
Msg #287916

It's very important for those that do a lot of general notary work. Like PAW, I get calls from other states for general notary work. Lately, it's been for a hospitalized family member and the caller is from out of state and just arrived in CA or they're still in their state and cannot get here but still need a POA or other paperwork signatures notarized.

If you're only doing loan signings after work on a part-time basis, then maybe just a listing on the notary directories will suffice. But for those, like me, who do three times the general notary work than loan signings....I think it's crucial.

Reply by Glenn Strickler on 5/9/09 1:35pm
Msg #287918

Depends on your business model

I quit paying for my website. I piggybacked it onto a notary listing service and when someone uses a search engine with my town and asking for a notary, I usually show up on the first page and have a 4 page site for them to go to. Being semi-retired, paying for a full blown website is not high on my list. Most of my loan signing work comes from this and a couple of other sites.

I get 90% of my general notary work from footwork. I have has a few unexpected bills in the past few months, so I decided to attempt to increase my business dropping off business cards with current and new contacts. I also keep making the rounds to let them know I am still around. Unfortunately the term "notary" in my area has become synonymous with "flake", so I have to swim against that current. For the past 6 weeks or so, I have been working every day at something. I even fill in at a couple of offices a day here and there to give their in house notary a day off. But to do that, you need to have other office skills and be able to use normal office software. And most important, as in any people business, you need outstanding people skills.

My motto in my life has been KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid). It works for me. You have to decide what works for you and what your goals are.

Good Luck.

Reply by Marian_in_CA on 5/10/09 11:58am
Msg #287935

Re: Depends on your business model

Glenn, when you say that "notary" is synonymous with "flake" in your area...how do you mean? I know that some never bother to show up to appointments, but is it really that bad?

Reply by Glenn Strickler on 5/10/09 2:59pm
Msg #287936

Re: Depends on your business model

I think my area had the highest number of new notaries that believed that it was a piece of cake and could make $100k. No shows at appointment, re-dos, fixing errors, wanting to sell Shaklee to borrowers during loan signings and on and on. There for a while, not a week went by where I wasn't getting called to fix or complete a signing that was assigned to someone else. Sometimes 4 or 4 a week. There is one TC who was calling notaries that they trusted from outside the area paying them extra to do work up here because they were burned so much. I got their business through a bank officer who recommended me. The were so gun-shy of Victorville notaries, I don't think I could have gotten their business without knowing someone who was connected to them.

The recession has begun to weed out the flakes and the get-rich-easy crowd to where the damage can be forgotten or repaired. But yeah, it was bad.

Reply by LKT/CA on 5/10/09 11:20pm
Msg #287959

Re: Depends on your business model

<<<No shows at appointment, re-dos, fixing errors, wanting to sell Shaklee to borrowers during loan signings and on and on.....There is one TC who was calling notaries that they trusted from outside the area paying them extra to do work up here because they were burned so much.>>>

I'm sure there are experienced, qualified notaries in Victorville whom the SS's and TC's could have called in the first place, but instead bypassed them in favor of saving a buck. They called the $50 newbie and got what they paid for.

<<<There for a while, not a week went by where I wasn't getting called to fix or complete a signing that was assigned to someone else. There is one TC who was calling notaries that they trusted from outside the area paying them extra to do work up here because they were burned so much.>>>

A TC won't get burned when they hire quality first. They'll either pay now (a decent fee for an experienced notary) or pay later (extra fees on top of the lowball $50 for an experienced notary to handle the re-do's)....and usually "later" is very costly.