Professional Notary Blog

Info on me shows up on ALL TEN of the free search results on Google page ONE!

Laura Vestanen (Professional Notary) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 08:11:22 -0500

I regularly check my status on Google by searching using the words virtually all my clients tell me they use when searching for a notary in my town. That's how I know which of my marketing chores are giving me the biggest bang for my buck.

This morning, I entered these words for a google search to check my rating on my new website:

Info on me shows up on ALL TEN of the free search results on Google page one! Snaps to me!

My AR profile is first, of course. Then my Merchant Circle listing. My website is third.

The good news for you:

I do not pay anyone to increase my SEO.

I never pay to be listed on a site such as MerchantCircle.

I am low tech and I do all my own marketing chores and writing.

I created my own website using an online template, not a program that sits on my computer.

My website is plain but it has lots of information very useful for my clients.

The only place I blog is here on AR and only a few times a month. I don't tweet, post on Facebook, etc.

I'm moving my website to GoDaddy.com this week because their template program is more flexible. The new website is going to have even more links, resources, and information and a lovely map of my location.

I don't even use a visitor counter or google analytics. (I don't care how many people visit my site. I care about how many people book appointments with me.)

This means you, too, can ace your competitors on a Google search!

Good luck! LauraV

www.ProfessionalNotary.com

I put up a new website with new domain name yesterday. Today it's at the top two results on Google page one.

Laura Vestanen (Professional Notary) — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 10:28:45 -0500

Hi, Colleagues

I offer some legal secretary services in addition to notary work. I learned how to do these things while I managed a law firm in California for ten years. Plus I have taken additional seminars after moving to WA.

I wanted to create a new website in addition to my notary one to highlight these other services.

I finally created enough text to publish the first version of the site yesterday. (I have more info to write up and add to the site as I find the time.)

Then I immediately listed the url on the various websites where you can post / submit for free.

Today I Googled using the two most popular words I know my clients use to search for these services. (I know the words because I ask EVERY new client how they found me.)

The result: The Craigslist announcement was at the top spot of Google's page one. The new ActiveRain profile I created yesterday was in the number 2 spot. Three other listings about me appeared on page one and included my notary website and a few other places where I have posted / submitted my notary site for free.

Within 2 weeks I should be represented by at least 7 results on the first page of Google.

The best news for you - I AM LOW TECH! I don't even use a visitor counter. I have to use templates to make websites because if Iuse programs that sit on your computer, the site always looks too unprofessional and ugly. But I thoroughly understand how to get myself on page one of Google using low tech tricks.

You can hire an expensive wiz kid or you can knuckle down and do all the boring leg work yourself.

No one is more motivated than you to working hard to getting you on the first page of Google!

The second best news - this new website only cost me $12 for the domain name and $5/month for hosting and online template software.

Writing the text for the website took around 10 hours.

Getting the website up and posting / submitting info took ALL day yesterday. (Everyone but me left town for Labor Day Weekend.)

But I'll be happy in a few weeks that I put in those 9 BORING hours yesterday.

That will be when everyone has gotten their kids back into school, handle emergencies created by putting chores off until after summer, and starts calling me for ongoing work.

I'll get repeat work from old clients. And the new site will bring in new clients.

Special note to notaries - I don't mean to drive you nuts by not naming the services I offer. I am avoiding naming them because they are very advanced and it's very tricky to get everything right. (Notarizing and explaining a Reverse Mortgage purchase and loan or a Construction purchase and loan is a piece of cake compared to this stuff.)

I simply don't want notaries to start doing this work and then getting sued for screwing it up.

I know a notary who writes real estate purchase contracts for clients. (Legal in her state for notaries who are not paralegals or attorneys.)

This is the level of liability I am talking about.

So use the internet marketing tips and forgive me for the rest!

Good luck! LauraV

How to create a postcard marketing campaign to increase client loyalty

Laura Vestanen (Professional Notary) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 13:12:29 -0500

VistaPrint.com recently added some terrific new graphics to their postcard selections. So I ordered one with a picture of beautiful Banff National Park in Canada. My Canadian clients are going to love them.

The postcards just arrived and they are gorgeous! 100 for only $6.50 if you wait for a "free" sale and choose the slowest shipping.

I have been making a little check next to the place for the date in my notary journal. These people will get a card 3 weeks after their appointment. Their names and addresses will be entered into a MSWord doc.

One week is too soon. Three weeks will delight them because they will have forgotten me until they need another notarization and go hunting for my website or business card.

But I will write the card within 24 hours of the appointment while my memory is still fresh. Then I'll add a post it with the mail date.

On the picture side of the card where VistaPrint has made some solid areas for phone number, etc, I simply wrote in Lake Moraine, Banff National Park, Alberta. It looks like a beautiful postcard.

On the back of the card I had my company name ONLY printed at the top left where a return address would be. This is important. If I add my phone number, website address, or anything else, the client will NOT see it as a Thank You card. They will see it as a business card and me as soliciting more work. They will NOT think of me mailing them a nice Thank You note as a personal favor.

One of the most important tenents of marketing is to always make your actions and text as unique and personal to your client as possible.

My company name is also my website name: Professional Notary and ProfessionalNotary.com That's why I frequently tell you that having a good domain name is urgent.

Text example for note - A lovely couple gave me a $30 tip a few days ago. All three of us used to live in San Francisco. I'll write something short like this: "I enjoyed meeting you and it was fun talking with you about San Francisco. Best of luck in your new house! Laura"

I'll use my best penmanship and an ultra fine tip Sharpie so the ink won't melt if rain hits the card. Ballpoint ink looks cheap.

Best of luck with YOUR marketing campaigns! LauraV

Doing more than the minimum notary requirements will get you repeat work and referrals

Laura Vestanen (Professional Notary) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 19:49:57 -0500

Backstory - I wanted to update my Will, Powers of Attorney, etc. My biggest competitor just became a grandmother so I knew she would want to update her Will too. So I called her and suggested we notarize each other's documents. I knew some gals who would act as our witnesses. We arranged a date.

I was shocked at her behavior at the appointment. She did the absolute minimum required by our state's notary laws: she added her signature, date, and notary stamp on my documents.

She didn't note anything in a journal.

She didn't use an embosser seal besides the inked seal.

She was very awkward about swearing in the witnesses with raised right hands which told me she hadn't administered the oath to anyone during the thousands of loan signings she had done over the last 6+ years.

If I weren't a notary and didn't know that all notary laws were fulfilled, I would have wondered if my docs were legally notarized because of her cavalier attitude and actions.

My state does not require journals. But I journal and collect clients' signatures because journaling protects me in the event of a false accusation. (Judges love paper trails.) Journaling also lends an air of importance to the legal status of the documents involved. Plus I can be helpful if there is an enquiry about a notarization.

My state does not require an embossed notarization in addition to an inked one. But I have noticed that clients are VERY impressed when an embossed seal is used. Using an embosser adds a solomnity and respect for the documents and thereby to the clients for their important transactions. If the document is bound for overseas, I also use a gold seal before I emboss.

I always have preprinted receipt forms handy. I created them on my computer with my letterhead and tax ID number (not social security number). I complete the form at the end of the appointment and give to each client.

Because I always treat my clients' documents with careful respect and do more than the minimum required, I am telling them via behavior that I am a true professional. They won't want to go elsewhere and they always return to me.

So always provide services at your Professional Best standard. Your clients will have greater trust in your work, be loyal to you, and happily give colleagues your phone number.

Websites with great everyday money-saving tips

Laura Vestanen (Professional Notary) — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 18:17:20 -0500

Hi, All

In this economy, most of us need to learn new ways to save money on everyday things.

There are three message boards I read for this purpose. Here are the URLs for this purpose:

http://www.frugalvillage.com

http://www.simpleliving.net

http://www.stretcher.com/index.cfm

The first two require free registration. (I've never been spammed by submitting my email address to either site.) You can read all the articles on Stretcher.com without registration.

It's a bit tricky to get to the first two sites' forums' log in page. Once you arrive, bookmark it.

I found these three sites years ago. I've always wanted to pay pennies for unimportant things (like dish soap) so I could spurge on loved things, like European travel.

Hope this tip helps YOU! LauraV

If the words in your website, voicemail announcements, & email signatures are even vaguely religious, you could be driving away clients.

Laura Vestanen (Professional Notary) — Mon, 25 May 2009 18:48:34 -0500

Keep anything religious away from your business voicemail greeting, website, and emails. Even if the message only vaguely relates to a religion, it can keep a client from calling you.

Current project is a great example

A new client wants me to find a notary in a specific distant city in the US to handle some non-loan notary work as well as some specific administration services involving client interaction with foreigners via phone. My client has clients with backgrounds diverse in culture, races, and religious beliefs.

I can see his point of view. I used to live in San Francisco and now I live 20 minutes south of Vancouver, Canada. I love diversity and I'm cool with virtually all religions.

The client wants business dealings, correspondance, and conversations completely devoid of even the most vague of religious connotations so his clients are not offended.

If the notary he hires says anything as religiously-mild as "have a blessed day" to any of his clients, he would instantly stop sending the notary any work.

Read the definition to see why at: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/blessed

During this project, I have had to eliminate some great notaries because of semi-religious messages or symbols on their voicemail announcements, websites, and/or email signatures. Correspondance and conversations with even semi-religious connotations would have insulted my client.

I understand my client's position. Here is a story of something similar that happened to me:

A local women's non-profit organization had heard of some effective strategies I used with the support of a similar group in California. The local group invited me to attend a club event with the purpose of wooing me to join.

I happily attended. They made me feel welcome. When lunch was served, one of the leaders offered a prayer of thanks.

The words used in the prayer told me that the club members' religion was not mine. The city in which the club is located includes many women of religions not matching the one in the prayer. It was clear the club only wanted women of X religion.

I decided during the prayer to not join that group.

So think carefully about your greetings, graphic icons, and well wishes on various media.

Your well-intended words and symbols could be off-putting or even offensive.

Hope this helps you! LauraV

Is anyone making money on Twitter?

Laura Vestanen (Professional Notary) — Tue, 19 May 2009 06:35:01 -0500

If so, how?

Does being on Twitter increase your chance of getting on the first page of Google?

I get listed on the first page of Google 5 to 8 times already without Adwords and Twitter or paying anyone any money other than what I pay for my website.

Is anyone using Twitter successfully to get business?

Thanks!!!

Tip for yahoo email users: How to tell if a message is real or spam

Laura Vestanen (Professional Notary) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 17:47:23 -0500

I get spam emails every day - who doesn't? Most arrive in my Spam folder. Plus I get spam emails that arrive in my In folder or Trash folder.

I check all three folders every day because some of my clients send out so much email they have been labeled as spammers.

Some spammers are becoming superb at wording subject lines to maximize the chance of my opening the message and at least reading the top lines.

I hate not opening these messages for fear of missing a gig or note I really do want. But I hate to open questionable messages because even opening some of them will lauch cookies and other nastiness into my computer. (White html on a white background, etc, can easily manage the trick.)

Today I came up with a way of prescreening questionable emails without actually opening them. You are probably already onto this trick but just in case.....

Step 1 If the message is in your Trash or Spam folders, you need to move it to another folder. I move it to my Inbox folder.

Step 2 Find the words in the subject line that are unusual in comparison to the words in most of the emails in your folders. Notary would not be a good word to select. Appointment would be a good word: we notaries think in terms of appointments: most clients think they can walk in to an office or schedule a loan signing with us.

Step 3 Type the unusual words into the Search field. Hit the search mail button.

Step 4 A screen of email messages with your selected words will apear in chronological order with most recent on top. So the suspicious message will appear first or close to it.

Step 5 You can read the first few sentences of the message on the Search Results screen. It is super easy to tell a "real" email message from spam by reading these lines.

Now you know whether to open the message or check it as Spam and delete it.

I realize that all the marketers say we should have an email address that is dedicated to our website domain names. Notary@ProfessionalNotary.com for example. But I have had ProfessionalNotary@yahoo for a zillion years. It is all over the internet - thanks to my hard work. I don't dare change it.

Best of luck in your notary business, LauraV

Best online source for learning to be a successful signing agent

Laura Vestanen (Professional Notary) — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 10:52:20 -0500

Most of you know this, but just in case.......

The thread of messages starting with message #33325 at the NotaryRotary.com message board is the best online source for learning about being a successful signing agent.

I re-read it occasionally because sometimes I get a new idea inspired by one of the messages.

If you are new, this is definitely a MUST READ.

http://www.notaryrotary.com/forums/forumsbody.asp?id=&forumid=1AAA00000003&messageid=1AAA00076138&code=29F503906B287660267A495896868178&smsg=33325&requestid=03103654002&action=view&format=threaded

Don't take everything as being accurate because the signing agent industry has changed drastically in the last two years, especially the way NSAs market to TCs and SSs. But there are still plenty of terrific tips to make reading worth your time.

LauraV

ps: If you are new to this industry, do NOT ask questions on NotRot. They will eat you alive! The board at GoMobileNotary is much friendlier. http://members.boardhost.com/gomobilenotary/ The owner of GMN is a very nice man so that's where I buy all of my notary supplies.

How to make it easy for a great new client to find you online

Laura Vestanen (Professional Notary) — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 18:24:13 -0500

I'm writing about this so you can learn what professionals expect and look for when they want the best notary in the area.

I've been getting a new type of client: business attorneys and real estate professionals who hire me to find the best notaries in their area and train them in marketing to help bring clients in. They find my website, my profile on ActiveRain, and gossip about the notary marketing books I sell.

Attorneys, especially, want marketing-savvy notaries to help bring in new clients.

I start by Googling the word notary and the town of my client in this way: +notary +"New Orleans" +LA

Then I look at the last line of each search engine result in the free (no paid ads) section. That last line tells me if the notary has a unique domain name or is part of a notary directory.

I want the notary to have their own dedicated website and it cannot be an add-on site like the ones at NotaryNet or FreeWebs.

I am impressed when I find notaries with dedicated websites AND profiles on ActiveRain. I read their website, ActiveRain, and GoMobileNotary profile carefully.

I am looking for a few years of experience, full time availability, and number and types of loans signed.

I read the profile to see if the writing is informative, clear, and error-free.

If there is a photograph of the notary, I look for "normal," good grooming, and casual-professional attire. "Normal" means no crazy hair or any odd, cute, or sexy facial expressions. (Lots of ladies need to change their photos.) If there is no photo, I politely request that a recent one be emailed to me.

I was recently asked to search for a notary in a large southern California city. I knew there must be several hundred notaries within a half hour drive of the client's office. I found only SIX I thought worth contacting via email.

To get found by the best potential repeat clients, follow the above guidelines. (And please don't contact me to say you would love to be on my list. This is a huge country and I only get a few of these requests a month.)

Good luck!

High impact marketing by using free-to-you databases

Laura Vestanen (Professional Notary) — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 15:29:21 -0600

A few months ago, my local public library granted free access to several databases for cardholders.

I access these databases from my home computer using my library card number.

Using Reference USA, I have been building prospective client and referrer lists with owners' names, fax numbers, and addresses. I only note business owners who have websites.

I believe strongly in doing detailed demographic research to find my best prospective clients. I started this when I moved to my new town five years ago. I know exactly who my best prospective clients and referrers are by industries, age range, income range, etc. www.ZipSkinny.com is a helpful website. You won't find the information by just reading it: take time to really study the data there.

I faxed an annoucement of services to 75 potential referrers in a specific industry this week. I have found MyFax.com to be cheap and reliable.

Now that virtually all businesses with websites get faxes via email, I no longer think faxing is unethical. The recipient can view the first page of the fax in the body of the email so she/he can choose to print or simply discard. Even better, they can save the message for future reference. So even though the fax arrives in their email, it stands a far better chance of being read than a regular email does.

Tomorrow I will mail 100 color postcards to a different list. (I had the cards printed at www.VistaPrint.com - They look great.)

This weekend I will create a list of clients in yet another industry and fax a different announcement to them next week.

Some of the notary work my clients want involves some legal secretary chores as well, so I charge handsomely for that. I'm still cheaper than what attorneys would charge for the same service. I made $255 yesterday from two back-to-back appointments. Total time 1.25 hours. No loan docs involved. Payment at table. Both clients drove to me: one from a half hour away, the other 1.25 hours away. While writing this text, I just got a call from someone wanting this service tomorrow. I quoted $105. Sweet!

The main database I use is Reference USA. This is a database of businesses in US and Canada. Most libraries grant access to additional databases as well.

How to access the databases for free: First, get a library card. Then access the library's website from anywhere. Look for the word reference or search or databases. At some point you will be required to enter your library ID number.

Once you get into Reference USA, select Custom Search. In the next window, click on Yellow Page headings and City, State. Click any additional boxes you wish. Most industry databases use SIC codes for businesses. The longer the number, the more specific the selection. For example: Surgeons would be a longer number than doctors. The more specific you can be, the more useful your results will be. You can find the SIC codes by looking at the Yellow Page headings. Click on the blue word "headings." A pop up window will appear. Note the SIC codes for future reference.

The Small Business Administration (SBA) website might allows access to additional databases and knowing the SIC codes will be handy. http://sba.gov/tools/resourcelibrary/smallbusinessstatisticsresearch/index.html

So do what clever notary Pamela Knight does: think about what add-on services your notary clients might need and post them on your website.

Then do what I do: fax or mail announcements to people you find on free databases!

Best of luck, Laura

www.ProfessionalNotary.com

Inexpensive notary signs at VistaPrint.com

Laura Vestanen (Professional Notary) — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 17:08:41 -0600

Lots of us have been happily ordering high quality business cards from VistaPrint.com for several years.

VistaPrint has recently added signage to their line of product offerings.

I just ordered a waterproof plastic lawn sign measuring 12"high by 18"wide. That's approximately the same size as two letter size sheets of paper side by side. My sign says in big letters on three lines: Notary Public inside building

The sign is temporarily free at this URL:

http://www.vistaprint.com/lawn-signs.aspx?xnav=LeftItem&xnid=MarketingSignage&dng=1141720

If you want the stand, that is $3 extra. I declined.

I chose 3 week shipping for around $7. (I have found that clicking on 3 weeks usually gets me the product in around 10-12 days.)

I plan to tape the sign inside a window of the building in which I perform notary services. Next month when roads are no longer icy, I plan to offer Saturday notary services in at a border town south of Vancouver, Canada. I'll tape the sign inside my car window parked outside the building to help clients locate me.

Car door magnet signs measuring 11.25"wide by 8.5" high are temporarily free at:

http://www.vistaprint.com/car-magnets/car-door-magnets.aspx?xnav=LeftItem&xnid=MarketingSignage&dng=1141720

Remember to take them off your car when you go through the car wash.

I recently received some printed postcards I ordered to announce Saturday border town services. I got 100 free and paid around $7 for shipping. The cards look great and are printed on heavy stock. I had my local Small Business Administration help me build a tightly targeted recipient list of clients mostly likely to drive to me and use my most lucrative services. SBA does not charge for these types of research projects. Put your local office to work!

I always wait for VistaPrint's email sales announcements for free products. To get on VistaPrint's emailing announcement list, enter your email address above the Sign Up button near the bottom of the left column of the home page www.VistaPrint.com

Good luck with your own marketing projects! LauraV www.ProfessionalNotary.com

You know you are working too hard when...

Laura Vestanen (Professional Notary) — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 22:09:06 -0600

The below statements are absolutely true.

These are things I have discovered myself doing or thinking during times when I was working waaaay too hard. I am self employed and do most of my work from my home office and notary office 2 blocks away.

I started this list when loan closing appointments were still fun. I add to it when I realize I have been a dork. I added the last item a few days ago.

You know you are working too hard when...

You have run out of clean dishes although you have place settings for 10 and live alone with your pug.

Your kitchen trash is filled with Chinese Food containers.

Your living room is a wreck and your vacuum cleaner was abandoned there many days ago. A snappy idea suddenly hits you: if anyone stopped by, it would appear you were in the middle of house cleaning. You think this is a great strategy.

If you try to slip in a nap, you place your phone next to your pillow.

You get your socks and undies from your clothes dryer, not your dresser.

You have a glass of Ovaltine and call it breakfast.

Your ironing board is erected in your home office and is stacked with papers.

You yearn for a cigarette even though you have never smoked.

You consult your calendar to schedule each day's shower.

You look in your rearview mirror as you are pulling out of the driveway. You notice you applied eyebrow makeup to one side only. Your eyebrow hairs are pale blonde so this omission is noticeable.

Happy Meals start to sound good.

After your shower, you look at the mirror and see you have just smeared hair mousse all over your face.

You get up at 5am, have a glass of milk and a vitamin around 7am. At 1:30pm your stomach is in knots and you suddenly realize you are starving. Your brain races: who can you phone to bring lunch?

Welcome note to new members

Laura Vestanen (Professional Notary) — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 21:35:00 -0600

First of all, WELCOME!

Some of the best notaries nationwide add their blogs to this group. We are all grateful for this. Our members' tips on marketing and notary regulations and practices are among the best tips posted anywhere in the USA. So read all the blogs old and new to learn from The Best.

ActiveRain groups are not bogged down by nasty posts.

One of the things I love about ActiveRain is that it is free of the nasty posts on all the other notary message boards.

To exclude people who post nasty messages, I check the profile of every single person who asks to join this group and do a bit of googling. If they posted a nasty comment on another board, I did not approve them for blogging/posting here.

To keep blogs on topic, only notaries are allowed to post blogs on this group.

How you know you have been approved:

It may take a few days for me to have the time to check new member applications. If I'm on vacation, it could take 3+ weeks. That only happens in Spring and Fall. My apologies for any delays.

You will know you have been approved when you finish a new blog and get ready to post it. That's when a new box will appear for you to check: Notary Education + Marketing. This box will appear among all the boxes of the groups to which you belong and have posting priviledges.

Another way ActiveRain is superior to notary message boards: You don't post on AR, you blog.

Below is the difference between posting and blogging (in case you new to blogging).

Posting a blog is like writing a column for a newspaper. You are stating the facts as you know them and you state your opinions and stand behind them. If someone wants to post a criticism or opposing view, they send a letter to the editor.

Blogs are exactly the same. Posting an opposing view as a comment attached to your blog is Very Bad Form aka Bad Netiquette.

When ignorant people post a negative comment on your blog, simply delete the comment. If they want to voice a different position, they can post it on their own AR blog. If they send you an angry email about the deletion, send them a nice enote to educate them about Netiquette. (I say "nice" so they can't get mad at you no matter how much they want to - you're just too nice a person.) You can direct them to this paragraph or just copy-paste the relevant text for your nice note.

We still have controversy in this group. For example: there have been several blogs stating positive things about eNotarization. There have also been negative blogs on this topic. Each person has posted in a way that respects other people's opinions. If I see an negative, critical counter-blog, I delete it from appearing on this group. (Only the original blogger has the right to delete a blog. I only have the right to delete the blog from appearing on this group.)

My intentions as group hostess:

Lots of AR groups started out with great group subjects like marketing, thinking creatively, new business opportunites etc. But many of my personal favorites have deteriorated into a series of posts about a new house for sale posted by a real estate agent and other forms of "me, me, me, and more me."

My efforts are solely to keep this group as helpful to notaries as it can be, including you.

If you have any questions abou this group, let me know. Click on "send me an email" in the right column

Welcome to your new professional family!

Laura Vestanen www.ProfessionalNotary.com

The power of frequent personal notes to clients and referrers

Laura Vestanen (Professional Notary) — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 19:04:30 -0600

A lovely man I know works in Manhattan and pulls over $1m in salary and bonuses a year.

He is the VP of sales for a major international health products company. If you have ever had a cold in the USA, you have bought his one of company's products.

This man sends out hand-signed notecards to his addressee list every month. The addressee list includes clients and referrers.

He hires a college student and pays her from his own checking account. She is not an employee of the company: she works solely for him.

He gives the student a list of his addressees, their addresses, and their personal interests: golf, Parisian art galleries, wedding of daughter, etc.

The student clips articles on the topics of his list from paper versions of NY Times, Washington Post, SF Chronicle, and other newspapers and magazines he subscribes to for this purpose. Paper versions because paper is far more personal than print outs of websites.

The student hand-addresses the envelopes and adds a postage stamp. She adds an address label to the top center of the envelope flap because this is the proper etiquette of personal mail among the elite. She does not run it through a postage meter. This is because envelopes with computer-generated addresses and metered postage have less than a 9% chance of being opened. A hand-addressed envelope with postage stamp gives the envelope a 80%+ chance to not only be opened but read.

Personal note here: chance of being open and read would be even higher if my lovely friend purchased an embosser with his return address. Each envelope must be hand-embossed for the image to appear. Hard to do via machinery.

My friend's wife buys bulk note cards with no text in various designs. Again: sports for guys, florals for gals. The student hands the press clippings, note card, pre-addressed and stamped envelope to my friend. He adds a short personal note in pen like "Read this and thought of you, John Doe." He has been using this technique for 25 years with huge success.

You may not have a wife to buy your notecards but you can easily find a very competent college student who will work for $10 an hour as long as she gets a great letter of recommendation from you. Female and gay guy students are far more reliable and sensitive to personal nuances than hetero guys.

You can buy your own blank notecards. Florals for women, sports for men. Just be certain to send the right guy the right sport.

Go get 'em! LauraV

Foreclosures and suicides

Laura Vestanen (Professional Notary) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 21:13:30 -0600

I have my BA in Psychology from a very tough school. I use my degree every day. I'm always thinking about people and their behavior.

For the last year, I have been very worried that the nationwide number of suicides would skyrocket due to foreclosures and loss of retirement funds due to the home-loan-caused economic crash.

I am heartbroken to say this but I am starting to hear stories that confirm my fears.

Case in point: I was talking to a good, hard-working man today whose home is in foreclosure. He owns a small business and his sales have tanked. He's looking for a job but jobs paying more than minimum wage are scarce. He is a good, kind man.

He's getting some legal help and MAY be able to save the house he has owned for 15 years so he is feeling better. Best of luck to him.

He confessed to me that a month ago he was seriously considering suicide.

That made me furious.

Those rotten lying greedy loan officers. I hope they rot in H E dbl toothpicks.

I truly believe there have been thousands of suicides across the country this year due to foreclosures and the stock crash.

The families of these desperate people don't reveal the reason for the suicides and I don't blame them. They want to preserve the reputation of their now-dead loved ones. My heart goes out to them.

The people who murdered themselves are the casualties of our current war of the greedy vs the honest every-day American.

I am comforted to know I refused to notarize loan docs when the borrowers did not fully understand the terms of their loans. Just as I do not notarize docs related to Powers of Attorney and Wills when the signer does not fully understand and agree with all the terms of those docs. I never advise - I only ask questions so I could tell if they understood what they were signing.

Lenders blacklisted me. Loan officers screamed profanity through my phone. I didn't care about those greedy #####. My decision was personal.

But it turned out to be a good business decision: I have zero worries about lawsuits while the Feds are auditing tens of thousands of loan packages nationwide.

I have two words of advice for notaries:

1. Stick to your ethics.

2. Market your notary services to wealthy people.

Wealthy people always make certain they understand what the documents say before they sign. They are the people buying rental and vacation property in this horrible economy. They are also buying luxury cars and boats. (Sales of Rolls Royce cars are up 7% this year from 2007.) Some thirty-something-wealthies are adopting babies.

Market your notary services to wealthy people to help you survive these terrible economic times.

Best of luck to you and your family, LauraV

Recommendation for a great website technician

Laura Vestanen (Professional Notary) — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 12:05:22 -0500

Now that my new website is done, I am happy to share information about my fantastic website technician: Greg Cunningham. Greg@Tech-hachapi.com

I am in NW Washington and he is in Southern California. We had absolutely no problem working together. Greg is very prompt at responding to my phone calls and emails.

Take a look at the two websites Greg did for me: www.OliviaCarlin.com and www.BestOfWA.com

The first one is my new evening purse business. The second one is for a non-profit I founded. I designed the websites. Greg did the technical work.

Greg was website tech number 6 for me. The first 5 were complete flakes. I'm going to have to take one of them to small claims court just to get my deposit back - she did zero work on the website.

I don't get anything for posting this information. I'm just grateful to have found a reliable and excellent web tech.

You've heard the saying: You can only get 2 of these 3 items, never all 3: Fast. Top quality. Cheap. With Greg, you get the first two in abundance.

You are welcome to contact me with questions: ProfessionalNotary@yahoo.com

Or contact Greg directly for information and references: Greg@Tech-hachapi.com

Greg's attributes:

Fast worker :::: Responds to emails and phone messages very quickly :::: Meticulous :::: Finds good deals on hosting and email software. He doesn't add a mark up. :::: Solid communication skills. He writes in understandable plain English, not tech talk. :::: Offers multiple solutions and choices to problems and puzzles :::: Excellent handling of graphics and photos :::: Fully versed in e-commerce and secure shopping carts Invoices are clear. Work is well documented. :::: Versatile in website coding. Only uses templates when client wants them. :::: Conversant with high-tech images such as those images which dissolve to new ones. :::: No English language problems. No dealing with time zones and international currencies. :::: Worked in Intellectual Technology (IT) industry for 10 years before becoming a full-time freelance website designer and technician 3 years ago.

If you need a website, contact Greg! Greg@Tech-hachapi.com

LauraV

Build your referral base to get more non-loan notary work

Laura Vestanen (Professional Notary) — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 10:40:31 -0500

My recent marketing efforts have been spent on developing more referral sources for non-loan work.

Monday's appointments were all from referrals.

*One appointment was referred by a notary who owns the local UPS store. We send work to each other. She does not: work on weekend, notarize wills, or provide witnesses (too much time away from more lucrative shipping work). My big coup for will work is that I can furnish witnesses on weekdays. They are secretaries in the building I use for notary work. They are always happy to earn $5 for 5 minutes of work. All are single moms so the $5 is very welcome.

*One appointment was for adoption work. The three biggest multi-doctor offices in my county all refer all their patients to me for notary work. This is a result of me calling on the office managers and leaving cards whenever I am at the office. (The three offices combined serve 25% of the total population of my huge county.)

*One appointment was for a language translator. We refer work to each other. We both get calls for both notary and translation work and refer clients to each other. She called me for the first appointment and turned into a referral source as well as client.

Coincidentally, all docs were bound for foreign destinations: South Africa, Ethiopia, and Columbia. Fun and lucrative work: $225 for 3 hours including driving. I drove to the doc's office. Others drove to me. Everyone paid at the appointment.

This week I'm meeting with a non-attorney immigration specialist. I notarized some docs for him recently. He has the energy and drive of youth but my marketing chops are better. I will help him, he will refer work to me.

Good luck! LauraV

Blogging + Social Internet Networking does not get you work: Here's what to do

Laura Vestanen (Professional Notary) — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 19:30:24 -0500

Suddenly, everyone is on the Social Networking bandwagon.

My local Small Business Administration is offering classes on the importance of participating in Social Networking sites, blogging, eArticle posting, etc. The overall name for this activity is Web 2.0. Tons of SBA offices and marketing experts across the US are offering lessons and ebooks for purchase.

Social networking on the internet is worthless. I think Google and the other search engines will soon agree.

Most of the social networking posts are now coming from people who are not business-savvy. The posts look more and more like the pages from a teenager's diary talking about her after-school job as in "I helped a client and her granny today" or "Don't miss this weekend's high school football team game." Just take a look at a few hundred ActiveRain posts to see what I am talking about.

Important aside - Posting on AR to interact and help and industry colleagues is extremely helpful to our businesses and careers because they help us expand our professional knowledge. That is a different topic from this post.

Most social networking posters have been making matters worse for those of us wanting to market our services on the internet. The posters are adding sound and video to home-made monologues with head-shot movies of them talking. Boring at best. I think these types of blogs, MySpace posts, etc, will become so full of useless rhetoric that their importance in SEO and internet marketing will quickly fade and no one will pay any attention to them, not even the Google bots.

Forget Google Analytics. Most small business owners with websites are told to use Google Analytics and other tools to help drive traffic to their websites.

To this I say Phooey.

You can get 5,000 hits (visitors) a week to your website simply by adding some pics of Pamela Anderson. This will not get you notary work. What you really want is to get 30-40 hits a week that result in 28+ phone calls wanting appointments. (By the way, I get more calls than 28/week because my website is not the only place I post information about mynotary services.)

The solution is to make certain the home page of your notary website has all the keywords your prospective clients will use when searching for a notary in your coverage area. Plus give them links to websites with forms that most of your clients need which are hard to find on internet searches.

Check out my website to see what I am talking about. You are welcome to paraphrase and adapt the text on my website for your coverage area.

btw - I have a psych degree from an ivy league college so I know what I am blogging about.

LauraV www.ProfessionalNotary.com

Oregon Sec of State is against eNotarization and so am I

Laura Vestanen (Professional Notary) — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 19:42:34 -0500

The NNA has been conducting a nationwide campaign for over 5 years to get states and notaries to use their Enjoa enotary software.

Please note that eNotarization is an entirely different animal than loan packages that are eSigned. eSigning mean the non-notarized docs are "signed" via computer using a previously signed PofA. Docs requiring notarization are printed out. Signatures and notarizations are completed in traditional ink on paper format.

eNotarizations scare me to death.

In the US, our computers simply do not have sufficient firewalls and other tools to fight the invasion of hackers into our computers' database. People who connect their computers to the internet via WiFi and AirCards are the most vulnerable. In contrast, internet users in France have a separate box between their computer and the cable connection in the wall that protects that computer from being hacked into. This firewall equipment is serious stuff. ID theft via wall-connected computer is VERY low in France. WiFi and AirCard connections are just as vulnerable in France as here.

Key statement by Oregon's Sec of State, notary division: "Identity theft, by the notary or someone with access to a notary's computer, would be a relatively simple affair. Victims would have an enormously difficult time repudiating their thumbprint, and might not have any idea how their identity was stolen."

Read the full statement at http://www.filinginoregon.com/notary/currenttopics/enjoa.htm

The title companies in my state want our legislators to pass legislation accepting eNotarization and eRecording of Deeds. They are pushing it through in an underhanded, quiet way through a railroad transportation regulation. Sneaky bast@rds. As you know, title companies give a rat's a$ regarding the protection of the borrowers'/buyers' private information. TCs show extreme negligence when they send us edocs in simple PDF (Adobe Acrobat) format with no encryption or even the requirement of a password. Crikey! They might as well print out legal name, date of birth, and social security numbers on a postcard and put it in a corner mailbox!

Please think long and hard before joining the eNotarization bandwagon.

Remember this: All liability connected with any notarization falls on you. If an ID theft is conducted via your computer, you could easily be named as an accessory by not securing your information.

LauraV

When your client does not have to appear before you; Witness work an under tapped source of income

Laura Vestanen (Professional Notary) — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 12:07:03 -0500

Ron posted a provactive blog about clients appearing before us and necessity of keeping detailed and accurate records in our journals.

Accurate knowledge and accurate records protects both the public and us.

I think Ron's last paragraph was most important. He is right: it is urgent that we notaries know our state's regulations and practices thoroughly.

In WA, there are 3 types of services a notary may perform out of presence of the client:

*Copy certification (comparing an original document to a copy and attaching a notarized statement that the copy matches the original). Seal is used. The person providing the original and copies does not need to be the owner of the original. The documents can even be sent to me via mail or FedEx.

*Acting as a government official on some forms. Example: signing a form in the capacity of Notary Public that the ID number on a vehicle matches number listed on form. The person who owns the car doesn't need to appear before the notary. The ID# verification request could come from anyone. The notary seal not always required. Seal IS required when proper notarial wording is presented.

*Acting as a witness, such as making a written statement that a specific person won the baking contest at the county fair.

I am posting this blog for two reasons:

1. We notaries have to know our regulations cold PLUS be aware of things not clearly stated or not even mentioned in the regulations.

Of the three examples above, only the first situation is clearly discussed in my state's notary regulations.

My state's fee schedule mentions a witness fee but doesn't give instructions or even mention examples. We can all think of being a witness to someone signing her will when we are not the notary. But there are many other cases where I have acted as witness in my capacity of notary. Some of the situations required that I call my SoS to ascertain that I am handling the work properly.

2. Witness work is a largely untapped area of non-loan notary work. While the mortgage crisis continues, we notaries who love our work and don't want to change careers must be ever vigilant to find new opportunities to increase our service offerings.

Copy certification and witness work has come to represent around a third of my monthly notary income. It pays much better than loan work. Clients drive to me or mail/FedEx the work to me. (I love this - I don't have time and overhead wasted on driving to the client.) It is important to realize that I don't just get notary income, I get income from the administrative work involved. Scanning, driving to post office or FedEx (both are very close to me), phone conversations with clients and others, etc. I charge $30 to $50 an hour for my time.

I hope you research how witness work should be handled in your state and investigage the possibilities of how to get more witness work.

LauraV www.ProfessionalNotary.com/7.html

Why I fired my marketing consultant

Laura Vestanen (Professional Notary) — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 20:14:01 -0500

This blog post is to give you an example of why you need to create a super clear definition of your best prospective clients and referrers and then place your marketing text where these people look. Yellow pages, internet, clients' accountants, whatever.

I am very good at marketing. But I would be nuts to think that I can consider all aspects of my business, target clientele, and appropriate advertising media. So I visit with my local Small Business Development Center (a federally funded division of the Small Business Administration) every month or two.

My last counselor was amazing. Very sophisticated and experienced marketing and business consultant. He moved out of the area so we locals lost this great resource. (But I am happy to report that the counselor, his wife, and I have become friends and stay in touch.)

I had two appointments with the new counselor replacing Mr. Terrific. Then I fired him.

He knows marketing formulas, internet analytics, direct mail methods, coupon use, etc extremely well. He was born and raised in my rural area. He knows the local people.

But he is absolutely ignorant of my target clientele and personally incapable of thinking outside the box. He is a formula man through and through.

Some characteristics of my best current and prospective clients. Some points may not make sense to you. I cannot post on a public board exactly what I do for these people because my competition reads the boards.

*Aged 30-65

*Income of $80K or more.

*Highly educated, mostly at the best schools.

*Loves traveling to metro cities at home and abroad (not adventure travel)

*Comfortable around many different ethnic groups. Often born outside US. Usually comfortable with gays.

My just-fired counselor thought I should prioritize my time and money by launching a google adwords campaign. That didn't seem right to me but I am always willing to say that I may be the one who cannot see the elephant in the living room. So I spent 40+ hours researching google adwords.

I came to the conclusion that my best prospects and referrers use the internet heavily to search for what they need but they RARELY click on the paid ads.

Just Fired and I argued about whether this was true.

I told him I fit all my profile's characteristics and that I know these people well. They do not click on paid ads. Sidebar: I went to Mills College. US News and World report ranks Mills as 6th best college in the US. My degree is in behavioral psych. Marketing is simply psych in a business setting.

Just Fired said that he was "highly educated" and he clicks on paid ads on Google all the time. I should learn from this. He defined highly educated as graduating in the top 5% of his farmland high school and his local state college. (US News and World report ranks his college quite low.) He hasn't traveled outside the state. He makes far less than $80K. He isn't biased against gays or other ethnic groups but he has little experience around them.

This told me Just Fired has absolutely no clue about my target prospects and referers.

If you don't understand your best prospects and referrers extremely well, you CANNOT create an effective marketing or ad campaign.

Suffice to say BEWARE! of marketing advisors who do not understand what you do, who your best prospective clients and referrers are, and the best methods of advertising to reach this focused group of people.

Hope this helps! LauraV

Being helpful pays off in more work

Laura Vestanen (Professional Notary) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 11:19:03 -0500

When people call and want services that I cannot provide, I always try to help them if I can.

Examples *Someone wants me to notarize a copy of their birth certificate. I explain that notarized are not permitted to do that. Then I give them tips on how to get another birth certificate from the government agency in their county of birth.

*Someone wants me to draw up their Will or Power of Attorney as well as notarize it. I tell them I am happy to notarize their papers for them but I am not permitted to draw the documents. I then tell them about a terrific local paralegal plus the name of a stationery store where they can buy preprinted forms that are compliant with our state's regulations.

Most people are unfamiliar with government and legal resources and are grateful for the help. They remember kindness.

My experience is that they not only call me whenever they need a notary but they also tell their friends and colleagues.

I post lots of information about resources on my website including the URLs of government agencies offering free legal forms to print and complete. Many clients tell me they love my website because it is helpful. They also say the large amount of info on my site assures them that I have a deep understanding of notary regulations and practices. My website helps them decide I am the notary they want.

LauraV

www.ProfessionalNotary.com/7.html

Blogging does not help you get notary work

Laura Vestanen (Professional Notary) — Tue, 20 May 2008 11:07:36 -0500

Hi, All

I opened my ActiveRain account this morning to find spam about a service to help me with blogging. I imagine most -if not all of you - received the same message.

I have done over 300 hours of research on internet marketing. I have tried blogs to see how it impacts getting on the first page of Google and the other search engines.

Blogs used to work great. But Google and most of the other search engines changed their algorythms (search engines strategies) drastically last year. Blogging is no longer helpful for notaries.

Lots of people think posting lots of blogs here on AR will help get them on page one of an internet search. No longer. Blogging here mostly helps you network with other NSAs to advance your professional knowledge.

What DOES help you get on page one of Google:

*Posting terrific announcements about your services here, on CraigsList, on Kijiji, and a few other free places to list your services.

*Having a website and submitting its info to Dmoz.com and Yahoo yellow pages.

*Putting keywords (the words people use when searching for a notary) on your website and in all your announcements.

If all you want is loan work from your internet marketing, you need to be where the TCs look: the notary directories. I think 123notary is the most used one. I don't like 123, but if it is the most effective way to get loan work via the internet I'm not going say otherwise. GoMobileNotary is probably second best. I like GMN lots - the owner is a good guy.

Some LOs (especially RevMort ones) look for notaries on the internet and don't know about the notary directories. So if you want RevMort work, be on 123 and GMN AND do the above things I mention.

Hope this helps,

LauraV

www.ProfessionalNotary.com

Free online calculator to determine true cost to own and operate your car

Laura Vestanen (Professional Notary) — Wed, 07 May 2008 11:39:30 -0500

I found a great website that gives you the true cost to own and operate your car. It is published by the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission in California.

http://www.commutesolutions.org/calc.htm

Note that they come up with a base of $1.19 per mile to own and operate your car. I telephoned them this morning to ask when the calculator was created so I could adjust for gas price increases.

They said 2004!

The agency is in the process of updating all the figures on the site and the new calculator will be available in early June.

I've been assuming $1 per mile PLUS $30 per hour for my travel time. For now, I'm going to assume $1.50 for the per mile number and adjust it next month when the new calculator is out.

I suggest we all bookmark the site and write a reminder in our calendars to check for the update in June.

LauraV