Many Notaries go for top listings on 123notary despite the high price because they know it generates jobs. However, many Notaries prefer the free listings because they don’t want to pay for performance. Here are some reasons that might sway your opinion on paying for a higher spot on 123notary.

1. Title companies prefer the top several notaries on 123notary.
Title assumes that the top several notaries are better quality on 123notary. This might have to do with the fact that we use an algorithm to filter out those with low overall scores from being high on the list. Title is picking up on that fact, and that has been the case for years. Title companies that pay well rarely look far down the list for Notaries.

2. Get seen
People higher on the list get seen more than those down the list. People shopping for price might go all the way down the list to look for a notary, but those who pay well do not generally have to look far. Paying a few hundred to be high on the list can pay off fast especially when business is good.

3. Get paid more per signing
Those listed higher on the list generally get paid more per signing. People who low-ball often hire from lower on the list or go to SnapDocs, or NotaryRotary.

4. Get more clicks and overall calls.
If you are high on the list, you will get many more clicks and calls than those down the list. You will get more jobs than with an identical listing down the list. Being high on the list doesn’t guarantee jobs, but it makes you in people’s face and impossible to miss.

5. Don’t get overlooked
Most people who use 123notary start at the top and keep calling until they find someone who can do the job for a reasonable price. If you are at the bottom of the list, you might never get called except for jobs that are late at night, far away, or don’t pay well. Although you never know.

6. Get respect
People assume you are a better quality notary when you are at the top of 123notary.com. Our site has a reputation for having good notaries, especially at the top of the list.

7. Get high placement in neighboring counties
Only a high spot on 123notary will get you higher placement (above the free listings at least) in adjascent counties at no extra cost. Some Notaries get heavy call volume from neighboring areas as well as from their home area.

8. Have a guarantee of where you will show up on the list.
Regular, preferential and free listings do not guarantee you where you will show up. They are just levels. Preferential means you are above regular, and regular means you are above free. It doesn’t guarantee a particular placement. Being a p20 guaranatees you top placement on your county page. We cannot guarantee zip results due to the unpredictable overlap, but overlap only happens if someone is near you, but on the other side of a county line.

9. Have a guarantee you won’t be removed
Free listings do not get always get reminders to login and can be removed on a whim by 123notary staff. High placed paid listings get reminders to login and you will not be removed unless you ignore a lot of reminders to login by email and phone. In fact, with most top placements, I login for them (shhh, don’t tell anyone.)

10. Get customer service
If you are a free listing, you get minimal if any customer service from us. But, high placed listings get not only password assistance, but get help with their notes section, marketing advice, and lots of hand holding from Jeremy and Carmen. If you want to be cared for and get high quality help from people who have been in the business for 22 years, a top listing is a cost efficient way to get that.

NOTE
High placed listings perform well if they have a few reviews from satisfied clients as well as a thorough and well written notes section. If you leave your listing stripped down, you might not get your money’s worth. 123notary is in the business of getting renewals and repeat business, so we strongly suggest that you ask for our help and suggestions as to how to make the most of your listing. That way you will get more work and be very likely to renew with us which is what we depend on for our long term survival. Getting 123notary certification is another strong plus for your listing and you can email us to learn more about that.

We have a handful of RON Notaries now. We encourage people to know how to mention this in their profile. Please learn these easy rules about how 123notary works.

Your NOTES section is where you write about yourself, and special skills. I am not sure if people come to 123notary for RON Notaries or not, but if they do, put it at the top of your notes section.

The top of your notes section shows up in the search results. So, if the first thing you mention is that you do remote online notarizations, people will find that.

Let me know if you get RON jobs from 123notary. You might more and more as time goes on.

Personally, I think RON needs a female counterpart SALLY. But, that is just a passing idea.

In the old days many years ago when business was better, we got all kinds of great feedback about our directory. People made their advertising money back in a day, three days, a week or two weeks in so many cases. But, recently business has been bad. 2018 and 2019 were very slow years. 2020 is looking a little better. Since our business does well when the rest of the economy does not as that lowers interest rates — it is looking like good times might come to the notary business with all of these economic problems, trade wars, pandemics, and more.

But, we got an email from a lady in Washington State who claimed that she made her advertising money with 123notary back in a week. That was refreshing. She got a high placed listing and got a few jobs right away.

Personally, I believe that there are karmic energies involved in work, business, and success. If you are in it to win it, then business will attract to you. If you are old and tired, perhaps not. So, keep in a good state of mind and keep the mentality of growth of your business alive in your mind.

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1. At least 3 title/escrow companies contacted me to thank me for the
time I’ve given to their Borrowers, at least 2 of whom were first-time Borrowers. I know that many people are overwhelmed from the moment I take documents out. I put them at ease by telling them that “now and in future transactions, they usually need to focus on 3 documents— all other paperwork is in support of these documents.” (I have reviews on 123 that speak to this.)

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2. Continuing on from above, I’d like to add that some notaries’
practice is to “do the signing quickly and get on the next.” I take whatever time is reasonable to make sure the signer is comfortable with and understands the process. In loan signings I am aware this is often one of the major financial commitments in people’s lives and they are understandably nervous; and, that the Client has entrusted me to complete this signing, so I am in essence representing them as well.

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3. From the start of my career as a notary, I learned from 123Notary to do my homework (up front): review the package, flag important and/or unusual things soothes are not missed; doing any other necessary research (e.g., trusts/adoption documents; attorneys in fact, etc.). The more knowledgeable I am about documents and procedures, the better notary I am. Also, I prefer to “re-do” rather than correct and initial. I like for my work to be correct and error-free. Clients notice (as reflected in some of my 123Notary reviews.)

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4. I have taken your marketing advice to heart, and its paying off more and more. I make it easy for people to not only find me, but to make them want to use me.

a. Increasingly my better paying jobs are coming as a result of the 123 website. I anticipate that paying for a higher listing will more than pay for itself with my first two orders coming from it.

b. I instill a sense of security in my client as a matter of course by advising them of receipt of confirmation, meeting/closing with the client, dropping/tracking of documents.

c. Occasionally I contact people who have used me more than once to thank them —in an attempt to keep my name before them without being pushy. Sometimes enclose a thank you note with my invoice and asking them to let me know what I can do to better serve them.

d. All of my marketing materials are coordinated in their look and easily identifiable (business cards, stationery, website, invoices, note cards, etc.).

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5. Both my corporate and individual clients appreciate that I text my photo and/or business card with my photo confirming our meeting. I never knew how impactful this would become. People like to know with whom they are meeting (especially for coffee shop or hospital signings as well as with seniors and single women)…and the “ice is already broken” before I show up.

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6. More and more I’m learning what separates me from the pack:

a. I always ask how they found me. Many answer 123Notary. If other than 123, I encourage them to read my 123 reviews.

b. Doing my research…usually on your blogs, NNA and the internet, bookmarking or maintaining notes.

c. Paying attention to detail.

d. Professionalism in my dress, communications and manners.

e. Being honest in what I do and do not know.

f. Getting back to designated contact(s) after noting issues during the closing. This only happened rarely and in the beginning of my
practice, but I always let Borrower know that we can communicate with their loan officer, etc.

g. Finally, the notary’s client is a person just as we are. I relate to them as such. (This is frequently mentioned in my 123 reviews.)

h. My overall knowledge of mortgage documents, types of residents (primary vs. second), homesteads, trusts/trustees; subscribing witnesses/signature by mark; Apostilles, etc.

i. For me personally, I both hate and appreciate doing detailed journal entries and loose certificates. It takes more time, but my record are perfect and my loose certificates always specify the document name, number of pages and date.

Some of the Notaries on our site have registered business names that they do business under. We recommend going to the county clerk and registering a well thought out business name. However, the name you pick for your business can affect the quantity of clicks you get on directories. Some types of names get the business while others just collect dust. The day you register your business has astrological implications as well, but that is a topic for a different day.

After a quick analysis of business names, I have come to the conclusion that the debate is more than just between good and bad sounding names, but between different types of names. There are specific local geographic names, larger geographical area names such as the name of a state, personal names mixed with notary terms, unusual names, and generic or not so good sounding names. It is a little difficult for me in my opinionated state of mind to decide which business name is better than another, so I will rely on clicks to decide.

Please note that clicks vary widely based on what area you are in, how many reviews you have, how good your notes section is, and how well known and popular you are as most people who hire you from a directory already know you.

1. Large Geographical Areas: 2.5 clicks per day average for first three entries. The other two have unusual considerations. Please keep in mind that CA Notary Services has an incoming link from one of its sites to one of its listings, so the stats will be affected based on that link. New York Mobile Notary Services is an organization with several people working for them and they have been around for a long time, and their geographic area is known for getting disproportional amounts of clicks.

The click average for these five entries is 3.28 if you do not take into consideration the abnormalities of the sample data. The average would be 2.5 clicks per day without the two listings that are “statistical anomalies.” I personally do not like business names that use the name of a state simply because the notary can only offer service to a particular part of that state. However, the clicks indicate that this type of name gets clicked on a lot. Jeremy says one thumb up but the clicks say two.

Mobile American Notary & Apostilles
AZ Notary Services
Illinois Public Notary Services
CA Notary Services
New York Mobile Notary Services

2. Personal Names + Notary or Business Terms: 1.9 clicks per day average I think that this type of business name is not bad. However, I prefer catchy unique names that grab your attention and are easier to remember. One thumb up for this type of business name.

Kalation’s Business Services
Roger’s Notary Service
Ellen The Notary
Saul Mobile Notary
Arlene Mobile Notary

3. Names I thought were weak in appeal: 1.35 clicks / day.
My gut reaction to these names matched their overall click appeal or lack of it thereby. Attributes combined with a notary term just don’t work. Putting two initials together with an & symbol did okay with D & D, but we don’t have enough evidence to get any idea of whether it is a good idea to use such a type of business name. Once again, I prefer a catchy unique business name. Two thumbs down for these names (sorry).

925 Notary
Reliable Notary
Prestige Mobile Notaries
Pro Bix Notary
Notary Pro Today
I &S Notary & Wedding
D & D Document
Mobi Notary

4. Unusual Business Names: 1.3 clicks per day.
These names are very unusual, but lack any type of kick to them. Half a thumb up.

All things named notary services.
Sevendocs Mobile Notary

5. Local Business names: 1.9 clicks / day average.
This type of business name is good because it lets the client know that you focus on their area. However, it is a bit generic and not very interesting. One thumb up for this type of business name.

Bakersfield Mobile Notary
Manhattan Mobile Notary & Apostille
Bronx Mobile Notary Service

6. Business names that Jeremy likes most: 2.3 clicks per day.
First of all, I wish there were more business names on our site. I cannot go through the entire site every time I write an article. I only go through the big cities. These are some interesting names in this category. Golden Gate Notary lets you know they cover San Francisco and surrounding areas without blatantly saying it. It is like poetry to my ears. Bay Area Notary does the same thing but has a larger implied coverage area. Neighborly Notary has a warm feel to it. No hassle is a really cool name that speaks to one’s emotional tribulations. A1 is a bit cliche, but gets the most clicks in this category and sounds good if you need a filet mignon notarized. Five Star is a great name and I’m surprised that nobody else used it. The Notary to Call is an awesome name because it says it all, is relatable, but yet unique and catchy. I love these names and hope that people can think of more catchy names. Two thumbs up for the names in this category, and the clicks agree with my opinion in this case.

Golden Gate Notary
Bay Area Notary
Neighborly Notary NYC
No Hassle Notary Public
A1 Notary Services
Five Star Mobile Notary
The Notary to Call

CONCLUSION
I recommend having a business name and spending lots of time brainstorming your options and consulting different people about this major decision. Unique and catchy names win the game, but business names that incorporate geographical terms, especially wider geographical terms seem to be successful as well.

Here are some articles about Notary Advertising that might be
considered resource materials or at least useful materials.

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LISTINGS

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How does pricing work for top placements on 123notary?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=19355

What is a high placed listing on 123notary worth?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=16720

What makes a preferential listing do well on 123notary?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=22110

To do well with a high placed listing you need 6000 loans signed
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=22112

Which analytics get more clicks and why? A change in the 123notary
analytics system.
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=22114

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DIRECTORIES

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Which Notary directories get the high paying signings?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=19201

A tour of Notary Cafe reveals that business is slow based on job stats
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=21222

Who is involved with 123notary behind the scenes?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=18888

The history of 123notary.com
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=17458

A string of posts about Snapdocs
http://blog.123notary.com/?s=snapdocs

Testimonials about 123notary
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=700

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ADVERTISING RESOURCES

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Do you compare yourself to others on the 123notary search results?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=18882

Beginner Notary 103 – advertising on 123notary
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=21127

Title companies use the top three on 123notary
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=21282

Names for notary businesses that can get you in trouble
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=19064

High placed listings. Which get more clicks and why?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=22116

Notaries brag all day long about how experienced they are. Nobody wants to hear your bragging. These same Notaries who verbally boost themselves up are the same Notaries who don’t always login to their listing to document their experience.

Remember – when you tell a caller how experienced you are, only one person hears you; When you indicate in your listing how many loans you have signed (in the # of loans signed box please) and indicate in your notes what types of loans and documents you’ve signed, thousands can read that information and hence hear you.

I have found that many Notaries, particularly the free listings do not login to their listing much. I remove many who don’t login and we hear from them years after the fact. When I put them back online, they rarely update their # of loans signed. Often when I confirm the information with them I inform them that their profile states they signed 50 loans. I get this loud reaction such as, “Oh, no it’s WAYYYYY more than that.” My attitude is – don’t tell me, tell your listing. Thousands read it, so why not maintain it?

A well maintained listing gets over 1000 views per year.

Many notaries are vague about the type of experience they have and spend more time discussing their Real Estate or teaching career in their notes section. Be specific about what types of loans you know how to sign. Go through them one by one. Discuss your professional background clearly too. Don’t just say that you were in the mortgage industry. Tell us what role you played in that industry. Specifics sell.

SUMMARY
When you brag to a caller – one person hears your information; When you fill in your # of loans signed & notes – 1000 people hear your information;

It takes a minute to fill in your # of loans signed and you should update that several times per year. Many people let it slide for many years. If 123notary feels that your # of loans signed indicates that you are doing almost nothing, not maintaining your listing, or making outrageous claims of having signed more loans that humanly possible – we notice. Try to just publish helpful and truthful information and keep it updated. Thanks!

Is this a karmic thing happening? is this the beginning of the end of Snapdocs? Does it mean their engineers are slipping? Or was it just a glitch? A moment in time when the universe was not perfect. Will SnapDocs lose its snappiness one day? Willl they lose their appeal? Or will they continue to dominate market share?

In any case, it is nice when Notaries email me to let me know what is going on in the world. My comment to the notary who emailed me this news was — the drama thickens!

You might also like:

A compilation of posts about Snapdocs
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=21531

A tour of Notary Cafe reveals that business is slow
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=21222

MTV and pop culture
Remember back in the 80’s when people said, I want my MTV? Do they still exist? I spent a lot of time watching rock videos back in 1984. It was my introduction to popular culture because I was so out of it before that. But, what about the Notary world. If there were a slogan for our business, what would it be?

I want my 123
123notary is a great way to learn the fine art of loan signings. We have loan signing courses and they are affordable not to mention tons of free blog articles. 123notary also offers state-of-the-art advertising paralleled by no other agency. A top spot on 123notary can get you so much business, that no other site compares. You need regular new reviews, a great notes section, experience, and an attentive attitude to do well with your listing, so paying for it is not the only thing.

We mentor
Additionally, Jeremy and Carmen are there (or here depending on how you look at it) to answer questions and help people out by phone and by email. So, you will never be left behind at 123notary (unless I’m on vacation and in that case not for long.) 123notary is the best site to advertise your notary services on and learn the ropes. So, it is no wonder that people say — “I want my 123!”

You might also like:

123notary certication gets you more clicks
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=22496

The reason why 123notary scrutinizes its notaries
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=20803

Does Google help Notaries? Yes, and in all types of ways.

Google helps to list Notary sites and Notary directories on the search results. However, your placement can really vary and in my opinion, placement doesn’t always make sense. For Notary, 123notary shows up poorly, but for state and city notary terms we show up normally in the first page or sometimes the second page. How odd.

Google also offers adwords pay per click which is another way you can get clicks, and with geo-targetting you can get local clicks which might be very valuable to you.

Google local offers a way that Notaries can get advertising and be found from local clients. Signing companies might not use that option so much but individuals seeking notarization will use Google local and some Notaries get a lot of business for general notary work.

Google can also help you find Notary information. If you want to look up technical terms, concepts, documents, signing companies, or any other Notary related information, they will help.

Gmail is the most popular email for Notaries and I use it myself.

Google maps are the best quality maps for strategizing your journey to a particular venue. You can even see what the building looks like that you are going to go to before you get there.

Google weather can help you know if it will be snowing when you get where you are going.

In short, Google is a valuable source of information for all of us and we would be hard pressed (like apple cider) if they didn’t exist.

You might also like:

The Yelp Notary dilemma, the case of the missing reviews
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=22315

What makes a p#10 listing do well on 123notary?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=22110