Posted by PaSigningAge on 8/29/11 1:22pm
Msg #395521

Signing companies List

How many people on here make ends meet when they sign up with the companies on here. I know it's a slow time right now. But I've gotten 2 calls since I've registered. Does it just take a little time? I am just looking to get people personal opinions.

Thanks!

Reply by grapebed on 8/29/11 1:39pm
Msg #395528

I have gotten two calls, both $10 one pagers, in the five months that I have had a premier membership.

Reply by PaSigningAge on 8/29/11 1:49pm
Msg #395535

grapebed, the first one I had from this site was cancelled because the client couldn't afford the fees from the company. You ahead of me.

Reply by NJDiva on 8/29/11 1:39pm
Msg #395529

I always say that people come into this business...

thinking that it's a quick buck. But what they don't realize is the expenditures and time it takes to get established.

Quite honestly, it took me a couple years to get very well established. And if you're going to immediately need the pay to make ends meet, this is definitely not a business to get into with those intentions.

Okay, so the fact of the matter is that considering the cost of starting a business this expense is minimal.

In fact when I started out 6 years ago, I had to go back to a full time job and only do closings part time for a while because it was so difficult getting established. This is not a get rich quick business, period end...well, unless you're doing illegal notarization's, such as over webcam.

The bottom line is the market is saturated and many companies already have their go to notaries. If you have time, just be patient. Market, market, market. Apply to all of the companies in SC.

And finally have no expectations in this business and you'll do well.

Of course the above is STRICTLY my personal opinion and experience.

Wishing you much luck, wealth and prosperity.

Reply by PaSigningAge on 8/29/11 1:47pm
Msg #395532

Re: I always say that people come into this business...

Thanks NJDiva, I'm glad you responded. I do work part-time, so I have something always coming in. But I wanted to start doing this instead, so I'll just have to be patient, and Apply to SC companies.

Thanks!!

Reply by Linda Spanski on 8/29/11 1:53pm
Msg #395541

check out your competition

Have you got a premier membership? How many notaries are listed here within your territory? You are competing with folks who have years of experience so it's good to hear you have other sources of income. Some of us do this full-time.

Reply by PaSigningAge on 8/29/11 2:02pm
Msg #395544

Re: check out your competition

Linda, there aren't too many people with 20 miles of my zip code. The Premier members are about equal. I can't afford to $103 to be a premier member or I would be. But I do understand what you are saying. What companies are affiliated with Notary Rotary? I try to click on notary profile on the find a notary and it won't let me because I have not registered with affiliated signing companies.

Reply by Linda Spanski on 8/29/11 2:16pm
Msg #395550

that's odd

When I enter a zip code I can click on any profile and it opens. There is a limit to how many, though. And I'm not "affiliated" with any SS although I do work with a few of them.

Reply by CopperheadVA on 8/29/11 2:19pm
Msg #395551

Re: check out your competition

<<I try to click on notary profile on the find a notary and it won't let me because I have not registered with affiliated signing companies. >>

You should be able to click on a notary's profile whether you are a free member, a premier member, or just a member of the general public. If you are referring to clicking on company profiles listed in Signing Central, then you must be logged in with your user name and password in order to see those. Free members can see them just as paid members can - you just have to be logged in.

Reply by JanetK_CA on 8/29/11 10:33pm
Msg #395666

Re: check out your competition

I don't believe Notary Rotary is affiliated with any hiring companies. This site is primarily a directory where notaries can advertise to the public or to signing services or title companies, etc. They do offer other services (see the blue tabs at the top), including this forum and the "signing central" tab where the members here can list companies we know about or do business with, and provide comments and ratings about them. But I don't believe the companies pay to be listed there. (I have no way of knowing that and haven't really investigated it, so that's jmo.) Your registering with any of the companies listed there should have no impact on your ability to look at other notary profiles.

The owners of this site also work at optimizing this directory so that it shows up on web sites. That's a costly undertaking - and is more effective in some areas than others (and I believe more expensive in some areas than others). As a result, some may find a listing here very useful and some not. Personally, I get very little business from here, even though I'm listed in the first position. As a long time member, though, my renewal fees are a bit less and the discount on products and services (e.g. a free fax number) make it worth it for me.

Reply by Buddy Young on 8/29/11 1:56pm
Msg #395543

It takes time. After the SS trust you, you will get more calls. It took me a year to get established.

Reply by PaSigningAge on 8/29/11 2:03pm
Msg #395545

Thanks for responding Buddy!

Reply by GOLDGIRL/CA on 8/29/11 2:34pm
Msg #395560

NJ Diva and Buddy are right on. It takes time. Eventually, something will start happening if you keep marketing and signing up with SSs. When I started years ago, I signed up with lots of SSs and never heard from most of them (many are now out of business). But just last week, I got calls from two of them! Who knows why? I sat in their data base for years and years, and all of a sudden, they call. Anyway that's hardly the norm, but you get the idea.

Basically, this is a lousy time to expect much business. Like NJDiva said, lots of TCs and SSs have their regulars and there's not that much work to go around. There has been so much turmoil in the business lately with Big Escrow trying to corner the market and stomp down notary fees that you never know from one day to the next what's going to happen.

Then, out of nowhere, agencies that had regularly called certain notaries just stopped calling for unknown reasons (there have been recent NR posts to that effect). First lesson: There is no loyalty in this business.
So just keep plugging away and something will happen. But don't expect much. But if you get much, then celebrate!

Also, have you considered general notary work? There's a whole world of that out there.

Reply by PaSigningAge on 8/30/11 10:42am
Msg #395706

GoldGirl/CA,,, Yes I have I guess I just need to get my name out to my local community. A sign or something in the yard or lettering on my vehicle with my number and email.

Reply by MW/VA on 8/29/11 3:21pm
Msg #395585

There's more to building a business than signing up with

companies & waiting for the phone to ring. First, you need to know what you're doing.
Reminds me when I graduated & everyone told me I needed experience first--grrrrrr.
Unfortunately, it is still true.
The refi biz is up these days, so if you're not getting any calls you will probably need to do some aggressive marketing.