Posted by Marian_in_CA on 7/5/10 2:42pm
Msg #343823

"Know Your Value"

So, I'm surfing around this morning and I come across an article with the following bit of advice for "new" NSAs.

"5. Know your value.

Don't tell a company that your fee is $125 if they offer you $50, your still just getting your feet wet. Know your value and be happy that as a Newbie Mobile Notary you’re being paid $50 to gain that valuable experience that will pay off for you in the future. Now is the time to build experience and a client base."


Is it any surprise that this was written by the owner of a well known low balling, late (if ever) paying signing service?

It's just disgusting. Be happy you're being paid $50 to "gain experience"?

This just makes me sad.

Article link: http://bit.ly/SadSackSigningService

Reply by Grammyzoom on 7/5/10 2:52pm
Msg #343824

That makes me soooooooooooooo angry. I have said it before!

A notary who does not know what they are doing is worth NOTHING and a notary who knows what they are doing regardless of their experience is worth as much as any other notary if their intention is to do the job right and ask for answers when they have a question.

Reply by Susan Fischer on 7/6/10 3:34am
Msg #343858

Hear, hear! n/m

Reply by Les_CO on 7/5/10 2:53pm
Msg #343825

Garbage in…Garbage out!
If I need advice on how to run MY business, like some do theirs, I’ll go to the nearest prison on visitor’s day.

Reply by Les_CO on 7/5/10 3:26pm
Msg #343827

To come to the defense of the “newbie”.
Or one that has NEVER actually done a face-to-face-closing, I submit that you/they can do just as good a job as I can. It may take longer, some direction/guidance/instruction from wherever/whomever may be necessary, but if one is careful, unhurried, watchful, exact, and will heed instructions, it’s possible do the job.
I would like to think I’m being paid for my vast knowledge, expertise, and years of experience.
Most couldn’t care less, they just want the docs signed, and sent back.
Explaining to them what we must sometimes do to GET those documents signed often falls on deaf ears.
It’s a thankless job, with drawbacks….but it can not only be rewarding, but fun too. JMO

Reply by Virginia Auer on 7/6/10 9:04am
Msg #343867

Are you kidding me, I guess everyone complainig about the newbies where never a newbie themselves. That is just crazy.

Reply by Les_CO on 7/6/10 9:49am
Msg #343876

I think the biggest complaint us old timers have about Newbies, is that they tend to undervalue the jobs. The more people that take $50 jobs, the more people offer them. If all Notary Signing Agents, old hands, and first timers alike would charge real true profit making price on what we do, these low-ballers would go away.

Reply by brass/LA on 7/5/10 3:29pm
Msg #343828

My #1 Rule: Never undervalue your time. Unfortunately that is what many notaries do. They (hopefully) figure in expenses such as cell phone, computer and printer, internet access, office supplies and paper, vehicle expenses and mileage. What they don't figure in is a decent hourly rate that will include all of their time spent on an assignment, including making confirmation calls, printing, reviewing docs and travel time.

My time is a whole lot more valuable than the rest of my expenses and I set my fees accordingly.

Reply by garland/CA on 7/6/10 11:31am
Msg #343896

and expenses such as buying your own health insurance, no company matching 401K, no paid vacation, no paid sick leave, figuring out how to maintain and fix your own equipment - at your own cost.

Reply by Notarysigner on 7/5/10 3:48pm
Msg #343831

Wow.....thanks for the article too bad we can't link this

automatically to every low-ball complaint we'll be seeing across this board. When I was new I did one for $80.00 and about 10 for $85.00. I guess I had a fast learning curve because I don't get those calls anymore.

Reply by cadmonkey/CA on 7/5/10 4:08pm
Msg #343834

lowballers like to think we work for free n/m

Reply by MW/VA on 7/5/10 6:18pm
Msg #343838

Disgusting. The article was written by the owner of a low-ball ss (N3). Talk about taking advantage of newbies!

Reply by Marian_in_CA on 7/5/10 6:29pm
Msg #343839

His attitude just oozes through those words don't they? While some of what he says is true...he presents it ALL wrong. But the bit about, "You should be happy we're offering you $50," bit just made my jaw drop.

And I love the bit about how he assumes that people don't take jobs because they want to watch TV... what an... well, none of the words in my head are really proper.

Here's the honest to goodness truth... I *WOULD* rather watch American Idol than lose money taking a $50 job from a company with a poor payment record.

Reply by CaliNotary on 7/5/10 11:49pm
Msg #343852

My favorite part

"2. Invest in Technology
Get a cell phone, get a computer, and get a laser printer. And learn how to use them! Bottom Line if you don't invest in Technology and you don't take the time to learn how to use these tools your going to have a very hard time providing any value to most signing services and a very hard time building your business, although it is possible."

Exactly how is it possible to do this job without a cell phone or a computer? And since it's no longer 1994, is it REALLY necessary to tell people to get a cell phone and a computer and learn how to use them?

Apart from all of the laughable advice, that article is so sloppily written that I can't believe that anybody would take it seriously. That guy seriously needs to go back to 4th grade and learn when it is and isn't appropriate to capitalize.

Reply by Marian_in_CA on 7/6/10 1:03am
Msg #343854

Re: My favorite part

"And since it's no longer 1994, is it REALLY necessary to tell people to get a cell phone and a computer and learn how to use them?"


Sadly... yes. I know of one notary... and I kid you not... only has a freebie hotmail email. She checks her email at the library and at Fed/Ex Kinkos... and she prints her loan docs at FedEx/Kinkos.

She does not have internet access nor a computer at home.

Kid. you. not.

(Wild guess who she thinks is the Notarial authority of the land.)

Reply by John/CT on 7/6/10 10:36am
Msg #343884

And, know the difference between "your" and "you're" n/m

Reply by garland/CA on 7/6/10 11:28am
Msg #343894

and the difference between their and there n/m

Reply by taxpro on 7/6/10 3:47pm
Msg #343917

How about this one....

7. Keep your word
In the Mobile Notary Public business it all starts with your word so honor it, and build from there. Don't back out of appointments that your agree to do and don't ask for more money once you've agreed to a fee.

I love that this guy is lecturing notaries about honoring their word! I would only back out of an appointment (short of an actual emergency) if I found out they didn't pay their notaries or they lied about the signing. I wouldn't come back and ask for more money unless I found out it was really a 1st and 2nd, a reverse, required faxbacks, had several signers, a split package, or some other extenuating circumstance that was not disclosed. If his notaries are calling back for a fee increase, and it happens enough that it's a problem, he should tell them the truth upfront, and pay a decent fee!

Reply by Les_CO on 7/6/10 6:38pm
Msg #343945

Liars always want you to keep your word, while they don’t keep theirs; it gives them a distinct advantage.

Reply by taxpro on 7/7/10 11:08pm
Msg #344094

Preach it, Les!!! n/m