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June 23, 2023

What Sets a Mobile Notary Apart from a Notary

Filed under: Notary Public 101 — Tags: , — Tom Wilkins @ 12:00 am

When you need to have an important document notarized, you may wonder if you should go to a traditional notary public or use a mobile notary. While both types of notaries offer similar services, some key differences between the notary and mobile notaries may affect your decision. In this article, we will explore what sets a mobile notary apart from a notary and explain the benefits of using a mobile notary service.

Mobile Notary vs. Traditional Notary

A traditional notary public is a professional appointed by the state to verify signatures, administer oaths, and perform other duties related to the certification of documents. A traditional notary’s office is usually in a fixed location, such as a courthouse, bank, or law firm. Clients typically visit the notary’s place to complete their documents.

On the other hand, a mobile notary is a notary public who travels to the client’s location to notarize documents. They offer more flexibility regarding time and place, making it easier for clients to get their documents notarized when and where they need them.

The Distinction Between a Notary and a Mobile Notary

One of the most significant differences between a notary and a mobile notary is that a mobile notary can come to you. This means you don’t need to take time off work, travel to the notary’s location, or wait in long lines. Mobile notaries can visit your home, office, or any other convenient place.

Another difference is availability. Traditional notaries usually work regular business hours, which may not be convenient for people who work during the day. A mobile notary, however, can work outside of regular business hours and on weekends, making it easier for clients to get their documents notarized at a time that works for them.

Fees and Scheduling

Traditionally, notaries charge a flat fee per signature they notarize. On the other hand, mobile notaries usually charge an additional fee for travel time and expenses, which can vary depending on the distance traveled and the time of day. However, mobile notaries’ convenience and flexibility can outweigh this added expense.

Regarding scheduling, mobile notaries often offer more flexibility than traditional notaries. They can usually accommodate last-minute requests and work around your schedule, which can be especially helpful in urgent situations.

When to Use a Notary vs. When to Use a Mobile Notary

The choice between a traditional and mobile notary depends on your needs and circumstances. Suppose you have a document that needs to be notarized. Still, you have limited mobility or transportation options or need it done outside regular business hours. In that case, a mobile notary may be your best option. On the other hand, if you prefer to visit a fixed location and are willing to take time off work or wait in line, a traditional notary may work well for you.

Final Thoughts: Distinguishing Notary from Mobile Notary

Understanding the differences between a notary and a mobile notary is crucial when seeking reliable and convenient notarial services. While both are responsible for certifying documents, mobile notaries distinguish themselves by their ability to travel to clients’ preferred locations, offering flexibility and convenience. With the ever-increasing demand for efficient and accessible services, mobile notaries from Notaries/Signings are invaluable. Whether you require notarizations for personal or business matters, opting for a mobile notary ensures that your documents are handled with utmost care and convenience. Take advantage of the convenience and efficiency offered by mobile notaries and secure your notarial needs today.

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April 21, 2023

Chic Home Office Makeovers on a Budget

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: , — Tom Wilkins @ 12:00 am

Are you feeling the need to change scenery but don’t want to spend lots of money revamping your office space? Home offices should be stylish, comfortable environments that motivate and inspire us during work sessions. With a few simple home office decorating ideas on a budget, it’s easy and fun to transform any workspace into an amazing one without breaking the bank. Read on for more tips and tricks on crafting an irresistible working environment with inexpensive items you can easily find.

Use Multifunctional Furniture

Maximize your workspace and stay organized with multifunctional furniture! Whether you choose pieces that match existing decor or a brand-new style, these versatile options help create an aesthetically pleasing setup while taking up minimal space. Plus, they can keep all your work necessities in one place, helping reduce clutter and increase productivity.

Organize Your Desk

Transform your workspace into a functional and stylish area by clearing the clutter and creating plenty of space. Use desk organizers such as magazine holders, drawer dividers, and pencil cups to add personality and cable organizers to keep cords out of sight but easily accessible. Make it your own by adding personal touches like pictures and certificates. Create a productive atmosphere with a clean and organized workspace.

Good Lighting

Remember the importance of good lighting at home for a productive and peaceful workspace. To use natural sunlight wherever you can, position your desk so it’s right by the window or install sheer curtains to let sunbeams in, but not the bright light. Desk lamps and string lights also provide an excellent source for creating warm atmospheres without blowing out your budget. By investing thoughtfully in reasonable lighting solutions, you’ll increase focus when work gets tough, as well as keep yourself feeling upbeat.

Create your Own Gallery Wall

A gallery wall is a great way to liven up your home office and make it uniquely yours. Strategically select pieces that inspire you and get creative with frames, colors, sizes – anything! Not only will this charming addition complete the décor of any workspace – but studies show that having visual reminders around can instantly boost productivity. So don’t settle for just another boring desk setup – excite yourself every day by creating a personalized gallery wall filled with art, photos & quotes that fuel your passion.

Define Space with an Area Rug

Creating a successful and cozy home office is all about defining your workspace – and that means making room for an area rug! Not only will it delineate the boundaries between work life and personal life, but it will also bring texture, personality, sound-dampening properties (bonus!) & more to your new digs. With size options galore + countless colors/patterns/textures at hand – you’re bound to find something perfect to put those productivity vibes in motion!

Incorporate Plants

Transform your home office from dull to delightful with the simple addition of plants! Not only will they help you breathe easier, but studies show that being around greenery lowers blood pressure and stress levels, boosting your productivity. But before getting started on selecting floral friends for your workspace, consider how much natural light is available — as this can affect which types are best suited for growing in their new digs. So embrace plant power today and watch it improve your work-from-home space’s air quality and atmosphere!

Creatively Decorate Your Home Office on a Budget

Decorating your home office can be a simple and cost-effective process. You can transform your workspace into a comfortable and inspiring environment with creativity and resourcefulness. Whether repurposing old items or adding small touches like a desk lamp or wall art, every little change can make a big difference. Do your research and plan ahead, but be bold and let your personality shine through. By incorporating your unique style, you can organize your home office that reflects individuality and inspires productivity. So, take action today and turn your home office into a space you’ll love to work in with these home office decorating ideas on a budget!

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February 24, 2023

5 Ways to Market Your Notary Business

Filed under: (6) Marketing,Marketing Articles,Notary Marketing 102 — Tags: , , — Tom Wilkins @ 8:00 am

When you become a notary, much of your focus is on getting certified in your state. That typically means getting a criminal background check, taking an approved course, and passing the exam. Then, it’s mostly just filing paperwork. Once you get certified, though, you need clients. Here are five ways to market your notary business if that’s where you are in your notary journey.

1. Build a Website

One of the first things on your marketing to-do list should be building a website. We live in an online world. Many people regard having a website as a sign that your business is legitimate. The good news, you don’t need anything too complex either, or that demands a web developer. You can set up a basic website using WordPress, Wix, Squarespace or a similar content management system. Do make a point of creating a page with your contact information and availability on it.

2. Social Media

Once you get your website polished to the point that you’re happy, it’s time for the next online step: social media. Don’t sign up for every single social media platform. Start with one of the big sites. That lets you keep the demand for new content at a reasonable level. It also lets you answer questions. For example, let’s say that someone needs a Bank of America power of attorney. You can let them know in advance if you can notarize it.

3. Create a Referral Program

Referral programs really are the unsung hero of marketing. They are word-of-mouth marketing that you help generate for yourself. For something like notary services, you can offer discounts for the people making the referrals and those who get referred. In essence, you incentivize both groups to use your services.

4. Advertise in Local Papers/Newsletters/Online

Notary businesses are, by nature, local businesses. In most cases, you must interact directly with the people. That limits your business area to where you can comfortably drive relatively quickly. One of the top ways to market your notary business is by advertising in local papers and newsletters as they go out to the people most likely to need your services. That being said, don’t discount the value of online advertising. A lot of people head straight to Google to find a service provider.

5. Build Relationships with Real Estate Professionals

Something about real estate professionals that many people forget is that they deal with a lot of legal paperwork when they close a deal. Much of that paperwork requires a notary to certify that the parties signing it are who they say they are. That makes building relationships with local real estate professionals a potential goldmine of recurring work for your notary business. While you’ll want to start with one agency, nothing can stop you from expanding your web of relationships to multiple agencies. After all, it’s unlikely that one agency can fill your time.

Marketing Your Notary Business

Marketing a notary business, like most businesses, usually works best when coming at it from multiple angles. Start with the lower-hanging fruit, such as a website and social media. The initial costs are low, as those primarily require time. Once you get up and running, advertising in local papers, newsletters, and online is one of the most effective ways to market your notary business. Set up a referral program to entice new clients. If possible, build relationships with local real estate professionals. Those tactics collectively offer far better odds of bringing business your way.

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February 23, 2023

Businesses That Need Notaries

Filed under: (6) Marketing,Advertising — Tags: , — Tom Wilkins @ 5:38 pm

Are you wondering which types of organizations to target when spreading the word about your notary business? After all, there are plenty of businesses that need notaries on a regular basis, but others that might be less interested.

Essentially, any company that deals with legal transactions or documents of any kind will need notary services every now and then. Here are a few types of businesses most likely to require your services.

Real Estate Agencies

There are a great many legal documents involved in real estate transactions. This is true, especially if the buyer is taking out a mortgage. That’s good news for you as a notary—in most states, your services will be required by law.

In a real estate transaction, you’ll serve as an impartial witness. It will also be your responsibility to check and affirm the signatures of all the parties involved. The duties may vary from state to state, so ensure you know what’s expected of you in these cases.

Law Firms

It goes without saying that many legal documents require notarization. Paperwork granting power of attorney, trust documents, and wills are a few examples.

Many lawyers try to hire paralegals who are already commissioned notaries. That way, the employee can add notarization duties to their list of regular tasks. But if no one in-house can do it, the attorneys must commission notary services.

Banks, Mortgage Lenders, and Other Financial Institutions

As we pointed out, loan and mortgage documents require signature verification. The same goes for other financial agreements as well. That means financial institutions will need notary services on a regular basis.

It was common for banks to employ on-staff notaries to provide free services to their customers (sometimes even walk-ins). However, with the rise of online banking, this practice is rare. This works out well if there are a lot of banks in your area constantly seeking outside help when notarizing documents.

Healthcare Providers

You might not think of medical offices as businesses that need notaries. But the truth is, any business that deals with legal documents needs to have a notary on call.

In addition to power of attorney documents, certain medical consent forms must also be certified. Otherwise, it would be difficult to prove whether or not the patient consented to the transfer of power—or the medical procedure itself.

Government Agencies

Here’s a partial list of government documents that might require notarization:

  1. Immigration forms
  2. Oaths
  3. Affadavits

It’s always important to avoid the pitfalls of a forged signature notarized document, but you must be careful when dealing with government documents. Always ensure the person signing the document has the proper identification, and check all the dates and sections of the forms carefully before notarizing.

Employment Agencies

Some employers require drug tests and background checks before they make an official job offer. In these cases, the employment agency might enlist a notary to verify those documents to cover all their legal bases.

Small Businesses

Just because a company is small doesn’t mean it’s entirely self-sufficient. Many businesses that need notaries are very small, like mom-and-pops. Even the smallest businesses have contracts and other agreements that require notarizations occasionally. So get out there and spread the word about your notary business today!

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February 3, 2023

10 Mobile Notary Safety Tips for Beginners

Filed under: General Articles — Tags: , , , , — Tom Wilkins @ 8:00 am

Becoming a notary in your state can be a lucrative career path for entrepreneurs and those who want to help their communities. Mobile notary services have become quite popular in recent years. Experienced notaries know that mobile services expand business opportunities. Still, they also know that there are specific safety guidelines that mobile notaries need to pay attention to while on the go.

If you’re considering offering field service as a notary, below are ten mobile notary safety tips for beginners:

1. Always verify the identity of the signer before conducting any notarization

As a notary, it’s your responsibility to know who you’re dealing with, but this can be especially difficult when providing mobile notary services. You may be called to various locations with multiple people present, so verify the identification of all signers. You can do this by checking state-issued ID cards, driver’s licenses, military ID cards, or other forms of acceptable official identification.

2. Ensure the document being notarized is legitimate and that all information is filled out correctly

Documents you notarize need to be validated as legitimate before completing the notarization process. Different documents may require more intensive verification than others, so always ensure you know what documents you’ll be dealing with before heading to a notary job. This will allow you to be prepared if certain documents need additional verification to be performed beforehand.

3. Always use a tamper-evident seal or stamp on the document

The seal or stamp you use should include some tamper-evident features. Consider taking photos of any seal you place upon documents within the bounds of the laws that govern notary services in your state. This can be helpful if evidence needs to be provided later to verify the original marking.

4. Keep a detailed journal of all notarizations performed

It’s also a good idea to keep a detailed journal of each day’s service calls. Each entry should include the date, time, and location of services performed, and you should also consider including contact information for any parties with whom you have contact. Your journal entries can help if you need to verify information in the future, and it can also be helpful if you bill customers instead of collecting payment at the time of service.

5. Be aware of your surroundings and stay alert for any suspicious activity

Among other mobile notary safety tips for beginners, it’s vital to be aware of your surroundings when in the field. Pay attention to suspicious activity, and always put your safety and security first. No job is worth your life, so pay attention to potential threats in the area. You can also research locations online before arriving to get a better understanding of an area’s layout.

6. Use a GPS-enabled device to track your location

In keeping with the above, ensure GPS tracking is enabled on your smartphone or a dedicated GPS unit in your vehicle. These devices help you find locations faster, but they can also be used to provide important information to authorities if you can’t be contacted after responding to a service call. It’s also recommended to share your schedule with a trusted friend, family member, or colleague and check in with this person throughout your work day.

7. Do not carry large amounts of cash or valuables with you

You only carry small amounts if you accept cash payments as a mobile notary service provider. If you have a busy day, plan some time between service calls to deposit cash at your bank. In the unlikely event that you get robbed, or you lose the cash on your person, you’ll be thankful that you didn’t carry a large sum of money. You can also limit the amount of jewelry you wear to service calls to minimize your risk of being robbed.

8. Be familiar with the notary laws and regulations in your state and adhere to them at all times

As a mobile notary, you have unique obligations and responsibilities. Your role is recognized by authorities to serve the public with integrity; to do this, you need to know the laws that govern notary services in your state. These laws may include regulations about what documents you can notarize, where notarizations must occur, whether multiple witnesses must be present, and more.

9. Keep your notary commission and identification with you at all times

Mobile notary professionals must always keep their commissions and IDs on them. Having these documents with you is important if a customer asks to see them, but you may also be asked to provide them to authorities. In addition, providing mobile notary services often means going into unfamiliar areas, so it’s wise to have records available to show that you belong in places where you don’t live.

10. Use a secure method of payment and avoid accepting cash

Accepting cash is convenient and quick, but it can also be a liability for mobile notaries. Instead of accepting cash transactions, consider using a digital point-of-sale system. Today’s point-of-sale systems integrate with the web through smartphones, allowing you to accept cards and digital payments without having to handle paper money.

Mobile Notary Safety Tips to Protect You and Your Clients

Remember, as a mobile notary, you are responsible for the safety of yourself and others. By following these ten mobile notary safety tips for beginners, you can help ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone involved in the transaction.

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January 13, 2023

Top Mobile Notary Challenges in 2023

Filed under: Best Practices,Comprehensive Guides,General Articles,Journals — Tags: , , , , , , — Tom Wilkins @ 12:05 pm

As mobile notaries, the world constantly changes and presents new challenges for our profession. Every year, new updates in law and regulations affect our practice. So it’s important to stay informed of what other professionals in the industry are experiencing so we can continue to do our jobs effectively and safely. In this blog post, we’ll be looking at some of the top mobile notary challenges that will likely arise during 2023 – from adapting to digital platforms amidst a global pandemic to keeping up with ever-evolving state laws – as well as how best to prepare for these hurdles ahead!

Increased Regulation and Compliance Requirements

Being a notary public is no small task! With an ever-increasing layer of regulations and compliance requirements to abide by, it’s important for notaries not only to stay up-to-date on laws governing notarial acts but to ensure that their notary service is top-notch. Mobile notaries, traveling notaries, and signing agents provide added convenience for clients seeking notarization services beyond the traditional brick-and-mortar approach. As such, notaries must recognize that increased regulation and compliance requirements come with the territory and be prepared to meet them in areas ranging from personal identification verification to data security protocols. After all, notaries are really providing an invaluable service – one that requires vigilance on their part in order to execute properly.

More States Legalizing Cannabis and Its Impact on Notarizations

With more states legalizing cannabis, notary services have never been in higher demand! From notarizing banking transactions to notarizing documents related to cannabis-related agreements, notaries are rapidly adapting their services to meet these growing demands. Mobile notary and traveling notary services like signing agents make this work possible with flexible scheduling, location options, and quick turnarounds. Today’s notaries are required to understand the effects of cannabis laws within the state they work in—and as more states legalize cannabis, notaries are rising to the challenge with an understanding of not only their state laws but regional ones too. The need for savvy notaries has never been greater!

Increased Use of AI and Other Technologies in the Notary Industry

The notary industry is no exception to the technological advancements in automation, with many notary services embracing advantages like AI and mobile notarization. Mobile notaries provide notarizing convenience to customers by visiting them directly at their homes or workplace instead of the other way around, and they can also perform notarial services remotely. Signing Agents present businesses with many opportunities, such as booking more notary assignments and being away from their office while doing it – improving efficiency while on the move! Automation allows notaries to increase access to and quality of notary services; plus, going digital has enabled notaries to work faster and become more organized. The combination of modern technology and a notary’s expertise creates an efficient yet secure process for all kinds of transactions, making it one of the top mobile notary challenges in 2023.

Continued Growth in Remote Working and Its Effects on Notaries

The notary profession has experienced a seismic shift since the introduction of remote working technology. While notaries have yet to experience the same growth across all sectors, those in the notary public, mobile notary, traveling notary, and signing agent spaces have seen particularly dramatic gains due to their ability to provide notarization services from any physical location. This means that as more companies turn towards remote approaches for workplace operations, notary service providers have seen benefits through increased business. This shift bodes well for notaries looking to expand their services online – something that would have seemed next to impossible for the average signing agent or mobile notary not long ago.

More States Legalizing Digital Notarization

Digital notarization is rapidly becoming the notary norm, quickly changing the traditional notarization landscape. As more states legalize digital notarization, mobile notaries and notary services must evolve to meet the increasingly strict criteria. This means notaries who act as traveling notaries or signing agents will become even more popular, as they are both cost-effective and able to meet the ever-hastening pace of new technology and ideas in the notarization process. Not only that but their expertise and presence in person can help make digital notarization a cinch for both notary and customer alike!

Changes in the Real Estate Market and How They Impact Notaries

When it comes to notary services, the real estate market is at the heart of it. From mobile notaries and signing agents that travel from place to place to notary publics who perform notarizations at their own location, notaries play a large part in helping facilitate transactions for buying and selling a home. So when the real estate market sees changes—be it an increase or decrease in residential sales or rising interest rates—notaries must be ready to adjust their services accordingly. Whether this means taking on more projects if there is an influx of business or partnering with other notaries for added flexibility and capacity, notaries must stay agile as changes come about to maintain their notary business and keep up with the ever-changing landscape of the real estate market.

Expectations as We Move Into 2023

In the past year, we’ve seen more changes in the notary industry than ever. From increased regulation to the legalization of cannabis, there’s been a lot to keep up with. Mobile notary challenges will persist as we move into 2023, and it doesn’t look like things are slowing down any time soon. You can expect continued growth in remote working and digital notarization, as well as changes in the real estate market that will impact notaries across the country. But no matter what challenges arise, one thing remains constant: the quality of the notaries like you who are dedicated to providing excellent service. Thank you for everything you do to ensure that our community thrives!

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January 6, 2022

A tale of four notaries in hospitals

Filed under: Hospital & Jail Signings — Tags: , , , , , — admin @ 8:09 am

This was originally published many years ago.

 A tale of four notaries and their adventures at hospitals.
 
Hospital notarizations are very tricky and there is a lot that can go wrong. We have several resource pages regarding hospital notarizations to steer notaries away from pitfalls.  The characters in this story are NOT based on real characters, but each one of them has either a single attitude or attribute that is similar to a real person that I am acquainted with.  This silly story will show how each notary fared and how their way of thinking worked in the long run.  The various notaries include an Arkansas notary, an Illinois notary, a Florida notary, and a Pennsylvania notary public.
 
(1) Jeremy Blunt, a notary in Arkansas was called to do a hospital notarization in Little Rock on the following day.  Jeremy, with his blunt, but thorough manner told them, “Make sure to tell the nurses not to drug the patient within eight hours of the signing.”.  The caregiver, who was happy to have a thorough notary, overlooked Jeremy’s blunt manner and was very willing to coordinate a temporary lapse in morphine, so that the signer (an elderly relative) would be able to sign the papers.  Jeremy called an hour before the signing to have the caregiver read the ID information to him, and had the caregiver verify that the signer had not been drugged recently, was awake and able to conversate, and wouldn’t be drugged until after the notarization, and that the nurses had been informed.  The caregiver was standing next to the bedridden signer to MAKE SURE that no intravenus drugs were given.
 
Jeremy arrives at the signing with his notary bag, records the ID in his journal, gets a signature in his journal and the document(s), fills out the certificate form(s), stamps them, affixes his official Arkansas notary seal, staples the documents together, and is done.  Jeremy gets his fee, thanks everyone in a very blunt way, and leaves.  The signers say, “That Jeremy gets the job done — he’s a bit blunt, but polite, and he saved our rear ends big time!!!  That OTHER notary let us down.  Thank god for good notaries!”
 
(2) Linda Liberty, a notary in Illinois was called to do a hospital notarization in Chicago the following day.  Since she had a strict policy of not butting into anyone’s medical business, not asking questions, and minding her own business, she omitted to ask the caregiver if the signer was on medication.  After, all thats NONE OF MY BUSINESS!  The next day, she gets to the hospital, the caregiver says, “Thank you for coming”.  Linda politely says, “Its my pleasure to serve the public wholeheartedly”.  Linda goes to the hospital room where the patient / signer is.  The patient is high on morphine and in a stupor, barely able to keep his eyes open. Linda says, “Sorry, but according to Illinois notary laws, I am not authorized to notarize someone who is not capable of thinking or communicating coherently.  I can not notarize this person in this condition, ID or no ID.  The caregiver (the daughter of the signer) said, gee, thats too bad.  Linda says, my travel fee is $60 for hospitals please.  The daughter says, “BUT, YOU DIDN”T DO ANYTHING”.  Linda Liberty says, “Excuse me, but I drove an hour and a half here in traffic, paid a toll for the bridge, sat here talking to you for twenty minutes, paid $15 for gas, and have an hour drive home. I did quite a bit and I want to get paid!!!”  The daughter said, sorry, but we can not pay you.  We are very sorry.
 
(3) Ralph Machiavelli, a notary in Florida (no relation to Niccolo… at least not by blood), got a call to do a signing of a power of attorney in a hospital in Tampa.  The power of attorney would be for the signer’s son in law to take over all of his banking and real estate transactions. Ralph had lots of experience and thought ahead.  This Florida notary public had had his fingers burned a few times and knew the techniques for keeping out of trouble and getting paid.  Ralph told the client that he collects a $75 travel fee at the door BEFORE he sees the signer.  He, then charges $10 per for stamp for an acknowledged signature which is the maximum allowed fee in Florida.  The son in law of the signer agreed, and they set the appointment for the next day at 10am.
 
Ralph gets to the appointment.  Collects his travel fee in CASH, and says, “Thank you very much”.  Lets see the signer now.  The two of them proceed to walk down the long corridor, around some bends, up an elevator, down another corridor, past a nurse station, to the left, to the right, and then into a room.  They found the signer was drugged, sleeping, and in no condition to sign or even talk.  The son in law tried to wake the signer up.  The signer eventually woke up after twenty minutes of blinking and saying, “mmmmmmm?”.   Ralph said, can you ask dad to sign this form?  The son in law said, I’ll try.  After twenty additional minutes of wasting time (a result of the medication), the son in law said, its no use, they drugged him this morning.  Maybe I have my $75 back?  Ralph says, “I’m sorry, but in addition to traveling, I spent forty minutes here waiting for your signer to sign something.  This was a complete waste of time.  Next time please make sure your dad is ready to sign at the appointed time. That means…. NO DRUGS”.  Ralph returns home with his money.  He pleasures himself with a nice baby back rib dinner, and then returns home.
 
(4) Sharisse Washington, Pennsylvania Notary Public at large, doesn’t stand for this type of nonsense or bluntness that happened in the above three stories.  She has thirty years of experience, and carries a handheld database of how to handle each situation with all its variations and pitfalls.  Sharisse minds her p’s and q’s, dots her i’s and crosses her t’s.  She informs everybody in a polite way, and doesn’t put herself in a position that anything will go wrong either.   This notary in Pennsylvania gets a call to go to a Philadelphia hospital to do a notarization the next day.  She politely asks the client if they have an ID for the signer.  She asks if they could read the ID to her, so that she can verify that they have the ID, and that its current.  She asks if the patient EVER recieves medication or is likely to receive it during the day of the signing. She asks if its possible that they could provide a “WINDOW OF TIME”, where they could be sure that the signer wasn’t going to be drugged.  She asks what the name and type of the document is.  She asks if it is in their possession and if they can read the document to her (so, she can verify that they really have it).  After she asks all of the questions on her database’s check list, the cordially thanks the client for answering her questions and assures them that she will be at the hospital lobby at 10am the following day. 
 
This Pennsylvania Notary calls at 9am to verify that they have the identification handy and that the signer is not drugged. Sharisse shows up at the hospital at 9:55 just to be on the safe side.  The client is there, thanks her for being early.  They go up to the room.  The signer is awake, sober, and conversational.  The signer signs the document and journal. Its a bit if a struggle being old and being weak, but the signer does it… because she is sober and awake… and sober…not drugged.   Sharisse does all of the remaining necessary paperwork, thanks everybody, collects her fee, and is off to her next appointment which she allowed a sufficient amount of time to get to.
 
Now that you have read how each of these four notaries handled a hospital job, its up to you to decide how you want to handle this type of job. Remember, that hospital and jail notary jobs and many more potential pitfalls and things that can go wrong than a regular office or home notary job.  Do your homework, be polite and stay out of trouble, and that way, you will be able to make a living. Otherwise, it is you who will be sorry.

You might also like:

Power of Attorney in a nursing home
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=2305

Do you like your job? A story of being kept waiting forever at a hospital.
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=617

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November 16, 2021

Your photo is worth 1000 words… misspelled words

Filed under: Advertising — admin @ 8:43 am

As I go through the other directories looking for Notaries to add, I notice a correlation between the quality of your photo and the quality of how you do in real life on my site. I cross-reference data on my site to photos on Snapdocs for example. Here is what I noticed.

1. A good photo shows your face clearly. Some mediocre photos show a person far from the camera, and perhaps with other people.

2. A good photo has a good background. If you show a photo of you in your messy house, or in a neighborhood with lots of trees, cars, and buildings, it is disorienting to the person looking at the photo. If you show the wall of an attractive building behind you, or one where the background doesn’t distract from the main point of the photo (you), then that is a good point. Those with professional photos often have a solid color background behind them. Additionally, if you are wearing a dark shirt or have a dark skin tone and have a dark background, you blend into the background. If you wear dark, have a light background. If you wear a white shirt, perhaps a darker background.

3. Some people come across as very beautiful or sexy. That might be nice for a dating app. Remember, you are on Notary apps, and your clients probably don’t want to date you, and probably don’t want to date them — although you never know. After a few drinks the game changes completely. Try to look professional.

4. Try to look like someone who works in a bank or office who handles paperwork. Some of the people on SnapDocs look like lowlifes, or like people who work at the corner store. People who are serious about hiring a Notary want someone who looks like a professional clerical type. You don’t have to look that smart, but you do have to look responsible and conservative. So, if you drink a lot, or do drugs, or are tired, don’t have your photo taken until you can appear sober, alert, well dressed, and presentable.

SUMMARY
Most of the Notaries on Snapdocs and NotaryCafe look like people I wouldn’t hire even if it were to save my own life. Many people look like they have attitude problems, or look unprofessional, or worse. People who don’t eat properly or who take drugs or too much alcohol develop an air of haziness and have a faded appearance. You can spot these types very easily. They look like people who are mentally slow, and who will not get things done correctly or on time — and above all, will not care. If you want to get hired — don’t look like that.

I can sense a lot by tuning into people, and their photos. Some women look like they have anger problems. Others look depressed, terrified, or something else. When you are handling half million dollar loans, you need to look like a methodical clerical type who is pleasant, but not too emotional. Try to fit the part so to speak when you are having your photo taken and in real life.

People with good photos have a one in three chance of being acceptable to 123notary after we are done talking to them and quizzing them. Those with no photo or a mediocre photo are in my experience not worth adding as they are more like a less than 10% chance of worth keeping.

SUGGESTIONS
If you want to do well as a Notary, most sites have the option to post a photo. 123notary does not do this as we focus on information and not a fashion show. However, a photo reveals a lot about your soul and who you are, or at least who you are pretending to be.

1. Investing $100 or more on a professional photo shoot makes sense. Being well rested, wearing professional attire and having someone top notch take 50 photos of you in different poses and backgrounds makes sense. You choose the best ones and work with those. I did this for dating apps and got tons of responses from my top notch photos. The photo worked miracles, although I didn’t meet anyone compatible. But, married life is like a prison I hear, so I am happy that I have my freedom. But, as a Notary, you want clients, not freedom, so get a photo taken by a pro.

2. Spend time having photos taken of you with different professional looking outfits and backgrounds and then compare them. You will do much better with photos if you can pick the best one out of several dozen or several hundred. The average guy just takes some sub-par photo and upload it and then wonder why nobody calls them. Don’t be that guy.

3. Spend some time looking at photos of people who do look like professional clerical types and try to see how they portray themselves. I find that they are not too happy, not sad, not too fashionable, but neatly kept. They dress like they work at an office, but not too fancy usually. They keep their hair neat. Most of all, they look like they get work done in a timely manner.

4. SigningAgent.com has a much higher rate of professional looking people. Whether they are good Notaries or not remains to be seen, but most of the photos look like people I would not have an issue with at a minimum.

5. How you present yourself in general really matters. Having a clear photo where you can see your face easily when it is a thumbnail photo, and with a clear background is key. Most Notaries do not give much relevant information in their notes section. Having reviews from clients about your service is also critical and very few new additions to our site have even one review. Lastly, being certified by 123notary, Notary2Pro and LSS really helps a lot. If you have all the bells and whistles, your phone will probably ring.

But, if you have a bad photo, just remember this:
A mediocre photo is worth 1000 words — misspelled words.

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November 7, 2021

America Last Title

Filed under: Humorous Posts — admin @ 8:10 am

Many Notaries worked for First American Title during the Trump administration. But, now that Biden has taken over, America Last Title has had phenomenal growth in market share.

But, I’m not worried. If American banking goes South, we can always rely on the Bank of China to bail us out! I’m tempted to say that we’ll already be eating Xiao-Leng-Bao and Jian-Bing, but I already am, and found a great place in Rowland Heights in a food court. Hand made and Shan-Dong province style. Love it.

Somehow I think that the majority of Americans want America to fail. But, when they can’t afford to eat or pay bills, they will reconsider. By then it will be too late. But, they can still get a job at America Last Title… maybe.

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October 31, 2021

In 2028, will there still be a notary industry?

Filed under: General Articles — admin @ 7:32 am

I am working so hard, that sometimes I often lose track of how what is going on in the world is going to play out. I feel that the Messiah is going to reveal himself in 2034 (my guru says that is the year. I feel that society as we know it will be wiped out before that. Of course not all of it will be destroyed. God likes to wipe out civilizations with wars, invasions, plagues, diseases, floods, earthquakes.

All of the crazy things happening now have historical precedents in the bible, or were discussed in the Bible. Isaiah discusses a lot of the social realities of today, believe it or not, and that was written about 2700 years ago.

Covid was the appetizer. People were all afraid of Covid but not the economic consequences. Inflation, labor shortages, supply chain backups — who would have guessed. I thought we would have deflation, unemployment problems, and warehouses full of stuff that nobody wanted. Boy was I wrong. I think whenever I predict the future, I should just reverse what I predict, and that will be the accurate representation of the future. Just like the Seinfeld episode — The Opposite.

I feel that in this unpredictable environment, if there is something I really want to do, I better do it now, because I might not be able to later. On the other hand, going to China was my long term goal, and now is by far the worst time to go to China with all of the vaccine nonsense going on.

So, if Covid was the appetizer, then what is the meal? Asteroids, Earthquakes, floods, tsunamis, WW3, starvation? All of these thoughts run through my head. My psychic channeled the angels and they said we would also have volcanoes — good God! If these things happen, they will happen in the next ten years. My guru said that the asteroid will come in 2028 and it will rain fire and God knows if our satellites will survive this. Our banking system is tied to satellites, so I wonder how safe our assets will be.

And if these things happen, what will happen to the Notary industry? If half of Americans die in the next ten years due to the various plagues, will there still be a Notary industry? What will I do? Will I do business with China? How many Chinese will still be alive? 98% of Chinese are atheists. I don’t think God will let too many atheists survive the plagues before the coming of the Messiah or as the Hebrews call him, “Mechiach Ben David.”

I think there will be a remnant of what once was in 2028 as far as the Notary industry goes. There will be a lot fewer people if my prediction is correct. I predict that America will have a population of 140 million in 2028 which is generous compared to what I think God will do to most of the rest of the world, especially places that lack faith in God or decency. Most of Asia will be completely wiped out including most of Israel if I guess correctly. But, some of Israel has to survive otherwise where will the Messiah live. There has to be a logic to my train of thought.

So, I am afraid. Sometimes I want to just scream in terror. I don’t know what to expect. Perhaps I should just not think about it. The death of an industry and a nation — both of which are my home and economic stability.

When my father was in his early 50’s, my mother died. His friends told him that he was getting older — and that if there was anything he really wanted to do, he should do that now. I am giving this advice to myself. I think I want to spend more time with the cactuses in Tucson and work on my health.

I’m not sure what I will do for a living in 2028 if the Notary industry is over. I better learn more Chinese so I can do some trade work. That has always been my dream.

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