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February 28, 2016

More on Snapdocs, the Uber of the Notary industry!

Snapdocs really impresses me. They are new, successful, popular, yet everybody I know is complaining bitterly about them. It’s like Uber. You either love’em or hate’em. I was reading a Notary Rotary post where two reps from Snapdocs answered questions. Wow! Such good service! So, below are my comments on Snapdocs.

1. Snapdocs does cattle calls.
This is an automated feature that is convenient for the Title company, but a pain for the Notary. If you answer a cattle call after more than a few minutes have gone by, the job will probably have been filled.

2. Offers are generally low
Offers from Snapdocs are usually not very well paying. On the other hand, this makes it a great opportunity for newer Notaries to put some notches on their belt. I always tell newbies to work for cheap until they have proven themselves with a few thousand signings.

3. Are they scaring away seasoned Notaries?
One Notary on Notary Rotary’s form claimed that Snapdocs was scaring away seasoned Notaries. In my opinion, a system that is optimized for price and convenience is not suitable for an experienced and higher priced Notary. I just hope the good Notaries don’t get put out of business with all of the low fees that have become the norm in today’s Notary industry.

4. But, can you negotiate prices?
Yes. You can respond to emails and make a counter offer. If someone offers you $55, you can say, $155 — take it or leave it. Do you want experience and credentials or do you want to take your chances? In my opinion, Notaries do too much self-pitying and not enough negotiating. Give those signing and title companies a run for their money. Ask for what you’re worth. Our veteran Notary Ken always makes counter offers and demands up front payment on Paypal and usually gets it too!

5. Snapdocs eliminates the middle-man (or woman)
Signing Agents have been dreaming for years of a time when signing companies (who they perceive as being worthless) are weeded out of the situation. Well, now they have been weeded out in this playing field — but, prices are still dismally low. So, the Notaries still lose. But, in my opinion, a Notary who gets paid well earns that pay with merit which includes rich experience, multiple certifications, good marketing skills and businesslike communication habits.

6. Does Snapdocs let Title blacklist the Notaries?
Not exactly. But, feedback about the quality of the work done can affect the Notary’s ranking on this site.

7. Is Snapdocs better than the Notary directories?
In my opinion, Notary directories offer a better quality Notary than Snapdocs, and also offer more in depth information about the Notary.

8. Snapdocs will not help the Notary get paid.
Snapdocs operates for the benefit of the signing service,not the Notary. On the other hand, they don’t charge the Notary. If you don’t get paid, that is your problem. If they did guarantee payment, there would be expenses associated with that which would cut your fee down by 5-15% based on how other similiar models work on popular freelancer sites on the internet.

You might also like:

Has anyone used snapdocs?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=15831

Snapdocs, good for the notary or the signing service?
http://www.123notary.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=6744

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February 15, 2016

If you contact Title companies directly, what do they want?

Notaries don’t always know what to furnish a company with. They approach us by emailing their E&O, and all sorts of stuff we don’t want. I used to contact Title companies and here is what they most commonly want.

A Rate Sheet
If you have a quick flyer with your rates, areas you cover, and quick notes on your experience, types of loans you know how to sign, and your contact info, that will go over well.

Speak with Confidence
Don’t be afraid of Title companies. They aren’t monsters. They are just monstrously busy and they escape from their busy prison like bats out of hell at the end of the day. It is difficult to get the same rep twice as they are always busy and will only treat you like a priority if they actually need you or if they are really bored.

Have at least 1000 Signings
I would recommend getting your basic experience working for the signing companies who you dislike the most. Yes, the low-ballers with the fax backs and annoying micromanaging techniques. At 123notary, we quiz Notaries over the phone and the ones with less than 5000 signings normally are not so informed about basic loan signing techniques and facts. I would recommend waiting until you have at least one or two thousand signings and two or three official certifications from different agencies before calling the Title companies directly.

Notaries Bearing Gifts
Old school Notaries often bring donuts, bagels, and small gifts. To stick positively in someone’s mind, small gifts help. If you want to get exotic and give Chinese moon cakes, Arabic baklava, or Indian kulfi, that is good too assuming your gifts are appreciated.

What do they Really Want?
Girls just want to have fun
Title company reps just want to go home.
I’m going to sleep now.
Good night!

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Everything you need to know about writing a great notes section
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I just got two jobs & they found me on 123notary. What now?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=15857

He took Jeremy’s advice and got new title companies
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=22277

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February 8, 2016

Snapdocs, this is what we’ve learned about their Notaries

I recently visited Snapdocs to see how good their Notaries are. I called a dozen or so to sort of dip my toe in the water so to speak. Here are some quick facts based on my experience:

1. Snapdocs mostly brand new Notaries. New Notaries are often very enthusiastic and excited about learning.

2. The # of signings listed on Snapdocs is not an accurate number. It reflects how many loans were signed through their affiliation with Snapdocs and not in total.

3. Many of the numbers I called on Snapdocs were disconnected

4. Many of the Notaries on Snapdocs do not answer their phone.

5. Most of the Notaries on Snapdocs are not listed on other Notary directories which is refreshing.

6. Information on profiles on Snapdocs is very limited

7. Snapdocs has a very good document downloading system and we’ve heard they have a good loan assignment dispatch system as well.

8. Snapdocs is very popular and has thousands of Notaries on their site which is unusual for such a new notary directory (except for the new directories that copied all of our listings and then went out of business.)

I don’t know if I would recommend for or against Snapdocs, but they are the only Notary directory that has caught on since 123notary became popular in 2002 — and that is exciting! Let’s see where their newly found success takes them.

You might also like:

More on Snapdocs, the Uber of the Notary industry
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=16236

Has anyone used Snapdocs?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=15831

State of the Notary Industry Union Address
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=16244

October Signing Company Gossip
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=15327

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January 18, 2016

VA signings for $85? With 200 pages? No Thanks!

As a blog writer, I need to come up with ideas for interesting blog articles. So, I often go to Linked In and see what was popular there. I was visiting last night and saw that someone was offered a VA loan for $85. But, the package had about 200 pages! As new Notaries, you need to understand that not all packages are alike. Some Lenders have short packages while others have longer ones. Some Lenders have their documents ready on time while others don’t. Additionally, there are different types of loans — some are longer and more time consuming than others.

Large Loan Packages
VA loans are normally a lot longer than regular Refinances. FHA loans are longer and more complicated too. Additionally, Reverse Mortgages are longer and take longer partly because the signers are normally elderly. VA loans are for Veterans, and they might tell you some war stories about getting ambushed by the Taliban, but they are probably middle aged and able to sign in a moderate amount of time. But, the packages are long and take a long time.

What to Charge?
The average Notary on 123notary makes about $105 per signing (interesting stat.) If your standard fee is $100, you need to charge more if it is going to be a slow signing or a signing with an above average number of pages. You will be using your printer more, and spending more time at the signing. So, how much more should you charge? In my experience, more pages won’t take you that much more time. It will cost you a little toner and paper, but an additional fifty pages might only take you an additional twenty minutes assuming the signer is not a slow poke. What does take time includes: sluggish signers who read every word, elderly people who can barely function, issues with the loan involving long calls to the Lender, multiple signers who don’t always show up on time, problems with the ID.

Before You Accept the Job
My suggestion is to call the borrower and ask if they will be able to sign within a sixty or seventy-five minute window for a longer package. If they say no, then you might consider charging more or cancelling the signing. If you have the luxury to call the borrowers before you accept a job, you can have a lot more flexibility. You should ideally charge for time, and NOT based on the length of the package. I signed a 200 page construction loan in 25 minutes because the borrower was a professional and had been through the process dozens of times. His time was worth a lot and he didn’t waste a minute. He was like an assembly line.

As a General Rule
For most Notaries on 123notary, I would recommend charging $115 or $120 for VA signings and Reverse Mortgages. If you are very experienced with more than 5000 loans signed, then add another $25-$50 to that figure. Notaries should not try to charge too much unless they are so popular that they simply have to turn down good offers daily. Try to be reasonable and accommodating while you earn some notches in your belt! But, $85 is just too low unless you are a complete beginner!

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You might also like:

$30 loan signings. Is it worth it even in the best of circumstances?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=10456

Signing services take a portion of the notary fee
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=9315

$300 in 13 minutes? How Carmen cleans up in the notary business
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=19284

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January 4, 2016

I just got two jobs & they said they found me on 123notary, what now?

Be all that you can be!
Congratulations and thanks for enlisting! I am so happy when newcomers get lots of work from our directory. We work night and day to make our notary directory great! But, what now? The answer is that listings need to be all that they can be. It’s just like the army without the bullets. But, we have basic training.

Inspect your listing. There are several things you need to do before you clean your gun or your stamp.

1. Ask for help with your notes section.
We can’t write it for you, but if you write something, we can critique it. A good notes section with specifics and some unique information about you will really draw people in.

2. Pass our certification test.
People who pass our test not only get more work, but get slightly more compensation per signing and have more opportunities to move up the list on 123notary.com. You will need to study, but the knowledge you gain you keep for the rest of your life!

3. Get a few reviews
We value reviews so much that we call hundreds of people per month to remind them of how important it is to get reviews from strangers. On any site that has reviews such as Yelp, Travelocity, etc., the people with the most reviews get the most work, so start asking for reviews and ask us for help if you encounter any trouble.

4. Move up in the ranks
After you have passed our signingagent test and have two reviews, it is time to upgrade and join the big leagues or as we call it, “Special Forces.” At least try to get a promotion so you can pull rank on someone.

5. Stay out of trouble
No notary lasts forever. But, we have had many last for more than a decade on our site. Ken got promoted to General as he writes great blog articles and is a source of knowledge and inspiration. However, a few others had a dishonorable discharge. You still need to login to your listing every 120 days, otherwise you could get in a little trouble with us. Maintain your listing regularly, shine your boots (or shoes) and see if you take your seal apart and put it back together in less than 85 seconds.

6. PTSD
One Notary got PTSD from having borrowers yell at him too much about the APR. It is better to call the borrower up and go over the major figures before going into combat. And as always — ask for backup if you need any!

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Getting the best notary jobs
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=9273

The art of the decline to new jobs
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=15783

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November 16, 2015

Should travel fees be flat?

Should anything be flat in the world of pricing?

Any notary who has a flat travel fee doesn’t understand that their time is not for free. Sure it is easier to have a flat notary travel fee, but what if a job is scheduled during rush hour, or is far away? You’ll spend all day long for a small travel fee. Keep in mind that most notaries on 123notary are loan signing agents and don’t do non-loan mobile notary work. However, if you want to do regular mobile notary work, there is cash to be made. No waiting for companies to send you checks, no invoicing, no fax backs, and no excuses!

It is easier when you have a flat travel fee for the first 20 miles, or some type of a radius. You could shorten the distance during rush hour to be more fair to yourself if you like. Or just keep it simple. I used to charge $35 travel fee and people would pay it. I learned that others would charge $50 and get it. Customers were desperate and would pay anything if you would just get there and do the job right away.

But, for longer commutes, many notaries don’t have a formula. Some have a mileage rate they stick to. Others just don’t have a plan. Mileage rates are good for highway driving, but not for in-town jobs. 30 miles in an urban area can easily take over an hour and wear down your brakes, while 50 miles on the highway can go by quickly.

In my opinion it’s easier to charge based on estimated time. Your formula will be complicated if you have separate rates based on how many miles, and then compensate if they are in a metro or on the highway, and then another adjustment if it is during rush hour. It is easier to say that the driving will take 75 minutes total for the round trip and that you will charge $50 for that. Your rates are up to you, but this is my suggestion.

Charge a fixed fee for the first 45 minutes of travel for your round trip.
Then charge extra for every additional estimated minute.
If you estimate wrong, then as my mechanic friends say, “eat it” meaning take the loss gracefully.

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Best excuses why the signing company didn’t pay their Notary
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How do you push for payment terms?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=22590

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August 17, 2015

$40 for a signing 72 miles away?

I read the notary forums regularly. Not every day, but I go through them thoroughly every so often. One notary was offered $40 for a signing 72 miles away. I think I have heard everything now. Don’t these signing companies bother to use mapquest or Google directions to see how far a signing is before making an offer? Do they expect notaries to drive all over kingdom come for free?

They know that notaries are desperate.
Perhaps they are counting on the fact that business is really slow and that there are many desperate notaries out there. But, as desperate as you might be, your car expenses to do a 144 mile round trip are not for free. You use your tires, breaks, motor, gas, oil, and more. Your car won’t last forever, and you need to charge for mileage. How much is up to you unless your state restricts this (and nine states do even though I feel that is not constitutional.)

Stop Bothering Notaries!
Putting aside how unfair the offer is, I think that the bigger issue is that signing companies bother notaries with these petty offers. Notary forums are filled with complaints of this sort. It is a waste of the notary’s time and patience.

Minimum Wage for Notaries?
Perhaps the notary industry should have some type of minimum wage. No matter how new or unskilled the notary is, they get 50 cents per mile traveled plus 25 cents per page fax back and at least a certain amount for signings with under 100 pages per set of documents. I don’t know what a fair minimum is. If you set the minimum too high, then newbies will simply not get used unless the signing company is desperate.

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You might also like:

VA signings for $85 with 200 pages?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=15879

$30 loan signings. Is it worth it even in the best of circumstances?
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=10456

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July 20, 2015

Getting on board with signing & title companies

At 123notary.com we come into contact with a lot of newer notaries. Unfortunately, few of them ask for advice, and few of them do the right things. Most are just either confused or not that interested in really making their notary career work. So, what should new signing agents do?

Get on board! But, with whom?

(1) Advertise…
First of all, you need to be seen. Advertise on the major notary directories like 123notary, Notary Rotary, Notary Cafe, and Signingagent.com
If people can’t find you, they can’t use you

(2) Pass at least three certification tests.
We lecture people all the time about this, but few budge an inch. Get certified by ALL companies who you intend to advertise with in the long run. Notary2Pro also offers notary training although they do not have a notary directory as far as I know, and their training is one of the best. Don’t be afraid to get certified three or four times. You learn more each time you study and test. You also prove yourself more. If you want people to respect your knowledge, stop fighting it and just pass everyone’s test. For a professional notary, this shouldn’t be a big deal and it doesn’t cost that much either.

(3) Get on board with signing companies.
Most beginner notaries want to make big bucks working for high paying Title companies. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work like this. Title companies like to hire seasoned pros. You are an unseasoned non-pro unless you are from Southern Louisiana in which case you might be seasoned (Cajun perhaps.) But, that’s the wrong kind of seasoned in the Notary business. Work for low-ball signing companies. Work for the companies that everyone is complaining about on the boards. Make sure they pay their notaries, but work for the annoying ones. We compiled a list of signing companies who will hire beginners. I strongly recommend getting on board with them as they can jump start your career and get your phone ringing.

You can also look at our list of signing companies and start contacting them one by one. Not all of them specialize in hiring beginners, but you can talk to them. Most of them will have some sort of a contract you will have to sign. They might want you to fill out forms, submit your E&O, Bond, and some other information too. Don’t send this to us. Notaries mistake us for a signign company daily, and we throw out all of the useless information they send us. We don’t want your E&O, we just want your money… (and your address, hours of operation, county, additional counties, two or more paragraphs of notes about your service, # of loans signed, # of RAM of your laserprinter, etc.)

As a new notary, if you follow these three easy steps, your business will get jump started. You will go from zero jobs per month to dozens overnight. Yes, it might take four months to get on a 50-100 signing company databases, and it might take some bugging them to get your first job. But, do it. People who listen to 123notary tend to do a lot better than those who are either too lazy, or too argumentative to listen. Follow our proven path to success and reap the benefits! You won’t get rich, but at least you’ll be making a huge supplement to your income!

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Signing Companies That Hire Beginners
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=7059

Low Ball Signing Companies
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=745

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July 1, 2015

I signed up with 200 companies only to get work once or twice

It is common for Notaries to be signed up with dozens of signing services / notary services. We recommend that you sign up with as many notary services as you can. But, being signed up with them doesn’t equal getting used. There is some secret magic in getting used. You can’t get used if you are not signed up, so do the signing up part as early as possible in your Notary career. We recommend starting your career getting signed up with at least 50 companies and then do a few more in the beginning of the month every month. Since business is normally slow in the beginning of the month, that is a good time to market yourself and make quick calls to companies who you haven’t heard from for a while.

The Secret of Getting Used
I remember long time ago I was signed up with hundreds of signing companies. Not all of them used me. Signing Companies are like humans. We get in the habit of going to certain restaurants which become our regular spots. I go to our local Ramen place all the time for noodle soup and go to another spot for Kabobs. Sure, there are thousands of restaurants in Los Angeles, but I tend to go to seven or eight on a regular basis and once in a while to others. You need to catch the attention of signing companies to get used.

Catching Their Attention
If a signing company you have never heard of offers you a job that is too far away, should you decline because it is too far? If you have time in your schedule, taking that call might get you in their good graces. You got them out of a bind, and they might remember you for that. Other ways to catch people’s attention is to personally pop in their office during the beginning of the month when things are slow. If you live near Orange County, California it will be easy to have access to dozens of signing companies. There are also Title companies all throughout our nation that you can visit. Giving companies quick calls and letting them know you are available and happy to work for them helps too. You need to stick in their head, so bugging them intermittantly is a sound strategy!

Doing a Good Job
If a new signing company uses you, that means their favorite person in your area is either busy, on vacation, moved, died, or screwed up. It is your job to get in that #1 or #2 spot in their database during this brief window in time. When they call you, you need to be very agreeable and do whatever they say. Don’t complain if there are too many pages, fax backs, or long drives. Just do the job with a smile, and they will remember you next time. I would not start trying to charge them more or have conditions until the fourth job.

Invoice Promptly
Many Notaries get into trouble because they don’t invoice fast enough. Invoice within 24 hours of completing the job and invoice with exactly the information the company wants. Then invoice again at the 30 day mark on a weekly basis until paid. Other than that — good luck!

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June 29, 2015

Unique phrases from the Ninja course

Filed under: Your Notes Section — Tags: , — admin @ 11:04 pm

Here are examples of unique things our notaries have said:

(a) I specialize in services for high-profile figures and celebrities: confidentiality and respect for privacy.

(b) I’m the original mobile notary of Jefferson County.

(c) My bag is always packed and by the door ready for your call.

(d) We work with a mobile laptop allowing us to perform your closing as though you were there–when you can’t be.

(e) I introduce the critical documents before the signing begins to make sure that we are all on the same page. (no pun intended)

(f) I am a bar tender turned notary public. Small talk & signings. I give feedback right away, and you will know within SECONDS if your line of credit is on the rocks. I’m experienced with every type of loan signing and have completed 5000 signings to date. All I need to know from you is — shaken or stirred?

(g) I am always happy and others tend to become happy when around me. My extensive signing experience allows me to know exactly how to handle any type of situation that comes up in a loan. I have seen it all from name discrepancies between documents & identifications, wrong figures in the HUD, unwilling spouses, you name it.

(h) I always place my clients’ interest before mine.

(i) Former cop turned notary. I keep the clients at ease even in the most turbulent situations as that is part of my professional training. I understand all notary laws and loan signing procedures and give thorough descriptions of the documents before beginning the signing. I often ask, “Would you like to just begin the signing, or should I read you your rights… I mean go through the documents first?” Fingerprinting the borrowers is no problem either. I just tell them they are being booked. Call me for an arresting experience!

(j) I give each job 110% and my track record proves it.

(k) As a former bar tender, I have my own name for each type of signings. 1st & 2nd combos: I call them double mortgages. Then, there is the VA cocktail and the FHA spritzer. For a better rate on signings, call me during happy hour!

(l) I am a transplanted Native New Yorker with Southern charm.

(m) Technology is my soul. I am the notary of your choice. I think three steps ahead.

(n) With a background in stress management, I notarize accurately and in a relaxing manner.

(o) I continuously do on-line webinar education to stay abreast of the ongoing changes in the mortgage loan industry.

(p) Most of my business is repeat business. Many borrowers informed me that their signing with me was the easiest part of the loan process. Dozens of frustrated borrowers told me that if I had not been there, that they never would have completed the signing.

(q) We cover 19 counties in the mountains with two notaries two 4 wheel drive vehicles, both with GPS. We go places you don’t even know exist and get your loan closed!

(r) As a funeral home owner, I am used to somber occasions like loan signings. People enjoy my morbid sense of humor. Call me seven days a week, but not before 10 am, because I am not a “mourning” person.

(s) We are part vampire and never sleep. Call us for your late night signings. We’ll bring the Dixie cups for our night-cap after the signing is over.

.

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Elite Certification will benefit you for the rest of your life
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Studying to be elite certified is worth $533 per minute
http://blog.123notary.com/?p=20774

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