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Little surprises

10/30/2015

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One of the things I love about this business is the daily surprises that await you when you are out doing your signings.

You never know, for instance, what the houses look like both outside and inside until you actually get there.  For me, one of the fun things has always been to peak into people’s private lives to see how they live.  How is their home decorated?  Is it clean or dirty?  Organized or disorganized? And of course the troublesome question, do they have a table to use for the signing?

Here are a few tips with regard to the homes we visit.

When you are setting up the appointment with the borrower’s, try to get some idea from them what you should be looking for to help locate their home.  GPS systems are great but sometimes finding a house number can be very difficult.  We are heading into shorter days now so a lot of our signings will take place after dark.  In the area we live in the developers here are idiots in one respect.  They think it looks great to have the house number the same color as the exterior of the home.  Try to find those numbers in the dark.  A large flashlight (which you should always carry) is terrific but even with one finding those house numbers can be next to impossible.

So sometime during your confirmation conversation, ask if there are any distinguishing marks that differentiate their home from their neighbors.  Ask what lights will be on and what will be parked in the driveway. Sometimes they will have a crazy mailbox at the curb or a statue of an animal on the lawn. Every detail helps.  If all else fails, don’t hesitate to call the borrower when you are on their block and ask them to come outside and hail you down.

Coming soon,   “IN WHAT CONDITION IS THE INSIDE OF THE HOUSE?”

If you have any topics you would like to see discussed in these blogs please send an email to:  carol@notary2pro.com

Use today to explore all of your opportunities. You may have to knock on a lot of doors before opportunity will come knocking at your door.  Have a wonderful day.
 

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Why is having a web presence important?

10/30/2015

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Why is having a web presence important? It is important more now that it would have been ten years ago. More and more people are online shopping, banking and even socializing. So many people have their social media accounts like; Facebook, Twitter, Linked-In, Instagram, etc. that they make their presence known. We are always being bombarded by the “likes”, “follow me” and “friend” requests that sometimes we just want to unplug. Unfortunately in today’s society we can’t afford to unplug. So what do we do?

Well first of all join them; that’s right “friend” and “like” as many people as you can. Post what you can when you can especially if it is something important. Get on as many accounts as you can after all the more social media you are on sometimes the better off you are. I will explain shortly.

Even with all of these sites, there is one thing you might want to consider; a website. Why? Well, first off, without sounding hypocritical, with too much social media you can get lost in the mix. Yes, you can like, share, follow and tweet but how much of you is really there. With a website you can personalize it to suit you, your business or whatever you want it for. If you have a special hobby that you want to promote, or a business that you want to market, or even have a website as a personal biography, a website is the best tool out there. There are more and more companies that allow you to link all of your “social media” icons to your site that you will be heard one way or another.

When looking for a website make sure that you are able to not only link your website to all the social media sites but that you have Search Engine Optimization (SEO); also known as key words. They help the search engines find you. SEO and social media are important because you want to make sure that if you post something (on any one of your sites) that it leads to your website. The best example is blogging. You can blog on your website and then post on your sites that you have posted a new blog. That drives traffic to your site and you want that especially if you have a product or service that you offer. The more “contacts” you have the more the word gets out about you, your product or service.

What should you have on your website? Well, that is completely up to you. I create websites for Loan Signing Agents and I usually do three pages but for the “commercial” companies I do upwards of 20+ pages. You want to make sure that you have enough pages available to accommodate growth. You want to make sure, as I stated earlier, that you have SEO and blog capabilities. If you don’t want to blog that’s okay but it is a good way to inform people of what you are doing, etc.

Who should I purchase a website from? Well, that is another subjective answer. Besides me, well I know who I would recommend because I am familiar with what they have to offer. Do you want a site that you can build yourself even/especially with no experience; perhaps. Do you want a free site; maybe. There are some advantages but also disadvantages to a free site and I will touch on that in a while. What is your budget and how much work do actually want to do on the site? All of these are valid questions and can seem overwhelming. I am here to assist you. Here comes the shameless plug, but you will see why shortly.

The sites I create are user friendly, because I am the only one using them; which means I create, maintain and you don’t have to do anything except promote it. I have low overhead so I can offer lower rates and I am fast so I can make the changes you need immediately (realistically within 24 hours). I am also good a creating the best site for you based on a few simple questions. That being said, these websites also allow you to have photo galleries; slide shows, You Tube videos, password protection, selling features and much more. The difference between me and the other “site” builders out there is that I charge at least half to two-thirds less than what they do.

Yes, there are many (free) sites out there that boast they offer easy to do websites and templates but not all of them are easy; believe me I learned the hard way. These sites are also in the business to make money so if you want to add the bells and whistles to your site; and that includes eliminating ads; then be prepared to pay. Technically those “free” sites aren’t free. If you pay someone to build your site (me or someone else) make sure that they will make any changes you need for no charge (not the whole site of course). Make sure that they are maintaining the site, keeping it active, etc.

There are more items to consider but those are the “important” ones to be answered right now. I will blog more about web presence but for now I will leave you with this…

Now comes the fun part: deciding on a website, a domain name (the www.) and the colors. Good Luck.

If you choose to go through me and say you saw this blog, I will give you 10% off a website. You can call me at 916.777.5931,
visit my website at www.everythingelsemarketing.com or email me at
everythingelsemarketing@gmail.com

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A Tale of Warning....We Almost Fell For It!

10/30/2015

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When my husband Bill and I moved back to Northern California a couple of years ago it was with great excitement we relocated to the California Delta which is an area comprised of about 70 islands surrounded by over 1100 miles of waterway. When we lived here before we had a pontoon boat, but when we moved to Arizona, there was no reason to keep this boat in the desert so we sold it.

Now we are back and the dream was to be able to purchase a small pontoon boat that the two of us could use to putter around the rivers that surround the islands.

A few weeks ago Bill found an ad on Craigslist for a 2006, 20’ pontoon boat in excellent condition with only 156 hours on the motor.  The pictures were great! It had been kept in a garage all of these years and the cost was $2,500.00. We got in touch with the owner and when she sent me an email (not a phone call); I found out that the boat was not in California but in Montana.  Her story was devastating and I actually cried and felt sick after hearing it.  She had recently lost her husband and her 19 year old son in an auto accident.  A drunk driver hit her husband’s car and they both died immediately. She could not bear to have the boat around her any longer because it brought back so many memories.

She then told me that the boat was being held by EBay Motors and could be shipped to us in two days.  We would not pay until we had the opportunity to inspect the boat. By the way she wrote, I assumed she was a woman in her 50’s who was devastated by her loss. 

We told her yes, we did want the boat and agreed to the terms.  We than received the official 2 page notification from EBay Motors with instructions.  However, on this paperwork we were to send them the money via MoneyGram and it would be refunded if we did not accept the condition of the boat. When I pulled that out of my printer I had an immediate gut reaction that something was not right.  I took the paperwork to my Assistant/Daughter Barbara.  She is a huge customer on EBay and knew just who to call.  It WAS a scam!  My gut, as always, was right on!!

I decided to string the person (woman??) along to see if there was anything I could do to bring these people down.  Suddenly the tone of the emails totally changed from this sweet grieving widow to all business with step by step instructions as to what we should do next.  I reached out to the FTC and spoke with someone there about this fraud and was told that there was nothing we could do to these people because on the internet it was impossible to locate them.

However, they did tell me to send the information to: 
abuse@craigslist.com and to never open any more emails, never take any phone calls and to have nothing to do with these people ever again. I followed the instructions and Craigslist removed the posting by morning the next day and I never heard another word from “Evelyn” again.

It did not cost us anything but I must admit the disappointment of not being able to have the boat was hard to take.  But, we will continue to work hard, try to save money and hope to find a small used boat in good shape one of these days but it will not be an online purchase.

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Are You kidding?

10/30/2015

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The owner of a successful signing service called me and she sounded a little down. When I asked her if something was wrong she told me she had a day full of “notary problems”. This was a conversation that really bothered me. We all realize that there are a lot of Signing Agents doing less than a perfect job with their signings and their customer service doesn’t exist, But what she had to tell me was really awful. She hired a couple of notaries to do signings. She found both of them on one of the better known professional databases. Both Notaries advertised that they were very experienced. 

She  received  a  call  from one  of  the  signing  agents  while  at the  signing. The question  was,  “I  have something called a Notice of Right to Cancel, what am I supposed to do with this?”. WHAT! 

She  received  another  call  from  a  title  company  letting  her know  that  the Notary (who  advertised herself as having done over 5,000 signings), did not return a Deed of Trust in the package. Come to find out the lender failed to include one in the package. My question is, WHAT KIND of Signing Agent would  go through  an entire signing  without  realizing  that  there  is  no security  instrument  in  the package? 

I  teach  my  students  the  importance  of  going  through the documents  as  they  are being  printed  to double  check  them. They  need  to  be  the  right  size, right  print and  they  need  to  make  sure  all documents did print correctly per the instructions provided them. 

Well, bad on me! It never crossed my mind to teach them to make sure that there are things like a Note or Deed of Trust in the package. So this will serve as notice to all of you students, graduates and Signing  Agents. Please  double  check  your documents to  make  sure  that  when  dealing  with LOAN DOCUMENTS there is a Note and a Mortgage or Deed of Trust. If not, call your vendor and let them know what you need before you go to your signing. 

And, to those of you who advertise your experience, you had better have the experience you claim to have because if you are lying it will catch up with you eventually. Our students are told to be truthful and never claim experience they don’t have. So if you see a bio of someone who is a recent graduate of Notary2Pro, you will see that they post other experiences and qualifications showing why will be really good signing agents. Because they are graduates of Notary2Pro you can feel very comfortable hiring them! 

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Signature By Mark

10/30/2015

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Occasionally you may encounter an individual who is physically unable to write a signature. In these instances, it still may be possible to perform a notarization as long as the signer can make an ‘X’ or similar mark. This procedure is called signature by mark.

I had a young man who could only make his mark by placing a pen in his mouth and applying it to the document. I visited him once a year for 5 years and we used this rule only the first time he signed.  After that I knew his signature and watched him sign in this fashion.

With two witnesses present, have the signer make the ‘X’ or similar mark on the document in place of a signature. The witnesses should not be relatives, or have any connection to the transaction. The witnesses then sign their names on the document, and one witness writes the signer’s name next to the mark.

Normal certificate wording is still used for the notarization. Only the signer’s name should be included in the certificate. The witnesses’ names and signatures should be included in your journal entry. You also should check your state law for any additional requirements.

Sample: (witnesses sign, witness)

_____X____                                        Jim Evans, witness                                       Susan Brock, witness
George Drake

Mark affixed by George Drake in the presence of Jim Evans and Susan Brock, and undersigned Notary Public, pursuant to Subsection C of Section 7 of the Notary Public Act.

State: ________________________
County: ______________________

This instrument was acknowledged before me on ________________(date) by __George Drake_______________________.

 

_____________________________(notary signature)
print notary name, Notary Public under line

Apply your stamp/seal

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To Stamp or not to stamp

10/30/2015

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There has been some conversation lately on the internet regarding loan packages that contain a form for the notary to complete and sign. On these various forms the lender is asking the notary to complete information about themselves, sign it and apply their stamp to it. The excuse is that they want to have you prove your are a commissioned notary even though your stamp/seal is all over the documents!

This is a NO NO! In most, if not all states, it is illegal for you to apply your stamp/seal to any document which you are not actually acknowledging. If the borrower is signing the document and there is no place for you to sign, then there is no Acknowledgment required. The only variance here would if there is a notation for you to attach a separate acknowledgement to the document.

If the document requires your signature, but not the borrowers, then there is no acknowledgement. You cannot notarize your own signature.

If the document requires both your signature and the borrower’s then you will most like be completing a certificate, either an Acknowledgment or a Jurat, and your stamp must be applied here.

When you are faced with one of those documents that ask for or require your stamp, just write a little note stating: “It is illegal for me to use my stamp/seal on anything other than a certificate”. This should take care of the situation.

If you have a lender who does not require a copy of the borrower’s identification, but is looking for verification that you properly identified them, you can do the following:  Take a copy of the borrower’s identification, have the borrower state that it is a true copy of their identification, have them sign the copy and you can then notarize their signatures. This should satisfy the lender.

OH the weird things we as signing agents face!

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MY THOUGHTS ON ALL OF THE “INITIALS” THAT HAVE INVADED OUR LIVES CFPB, NNA, SPW AND OCC

10/30/2015

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CFPB
I want to go back to the beginning.  In early 2012, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) was created to protect consumers from unfair, deceptive, or abusive practices of service providers. They were created as an answer to the 2007 mortgage melt down which occurred as a result of the deceptions to borrowers by lenders, banks, mortgage brokers and loan officers, etc.

The following is an excerpt from a bulletin published by the CFPB.  To read the entire bulletin please click here.

In April, 2012 the following was announced:  “The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) today released a bulletin clarifying that financial institutions under Bureau supervision may be held responsible for the actions of the companies with which they contract. The Bureau will take a close look at service providers’ interactions with consumers. It will hold all appropriate companies accountable when legal violations occur.

Many people, including myself, believe that this endeavor was never meant to include Notary Signing Agents who are independent contractors.

NNA/SPW
Upon learning about the formation of the CFPB and the new requirements which would be placed on financial institutions, the National Notary Association assisted a group of lenders and title companies to put together a “Signing Professionals Workgroup” (SPW).  These financial institutions could not come together as a group themselves because they may be accused of breaking  Anti-Trust laws. 

To avoid any Anti-Trust issues the NNA used their association to allow commercial members of the NNA to form this group.  The NNA purchased the domain name, created their website and act as “advisors” to the SPW. The cost to belong to the SPW was $2,000.00 each.

Since the information was released by the National Notary Association (NNA) about the creation of the Signing Professionals Workgroup (SPW) many Notary Signing Agents have been frantically reaching out for information about how the creation of this group would impact them.

I believe that the NNA and the members of the SPW put their own interpretation on the CFPB bulletin and decided to run with it.  They have created the misleading perception that these guidelines are going to require banks and lending institutions to be responsible for your behavior as an NSA.  They want to check everything you do from the way you control your personal finances to exactly what you should be saying to each and every borrower when you enter their home or business.  I think that there is definitely an element of fear and that many NSAs are intimidated by the prospect of not being prepared for this new requirement. 

The SPW created several documents outlining their new demands of NSAs, including a “Code of Conduct” and a “Signing Script”, etc. In order to be hired by any member of this group the NSA must agree to meet these demands.  They must also have additional training and would be required to have a specific certification and bear the title of “Certified Signing Specialists” (CSS). All of this was decided by the SPW and there has been no representation by Notary Signing Agents at any of the SPW meetings.

When the NNA and the SPW released the information regarding these demands, many NSAs were under the impression that this was soon to be law.  They flocked to the NNA to make sure they were going to be “legal”.  Many of you are under the impression that if you do not fulfill the demands of the SPW, you will be breaking the law.

So I want to be very clear.  These demands are being placed upon you by members of the SPW only.  Neither the NNA nor the SPW has the ability to create laws.  Some of the demands that this group has created, in my opinion, are so restrictive and self-serving to this group that as an NSA myself I would refuse to follow them.  Many people and so far a number of State officials have determined that these demands are actually putting NSAs into the realm of an employee without benefits, rather than the independent contractors we are.

The members of the SPW are comprised of a few of the major lenders and/or title companies.  They are certainly not even close to being the majority of lenders and title companies who keep NSAs working.  So if you are afraid you will never get work if you do not comply, keep in mind that there are a number of lenders and title companies who are not members of this group.

And do not forget.  You are commissioned and are a public servant of your State.  I believe that each state will have something to say about the demands being placed upon you by the SPW.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Here are the things you need to do to make sure you can continue to work as a Professional Signing Agent:

·         Maintain a current commission issued by your State.

·         Adhere to the Rules and Regulations of your State.

·         Properly educate yourself for the protection of both the borrowers and yourself.

·         Provide a background check which is compliant with the law. (This is another topic).

·         Provide information to hiring companies which fulfill their requirements.

OCC
Another element, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) who issued a bulletin on October 30, 2013. I read every word of this extremely lengthy release regarding Guidance to national banks and federal savings associations and do not see how Notary Signing Agents will be involved in their roles as independent contractors.  I think the intent in this guidance is yet to be determined.  Until we learn of our involvement I would suggest that you do not panic and don’t let people lead you to believe that you need to spend money to be approved. Just take a “wait and see” attitude.

NOTARY2PRO
I want all of my current and future students and graduates to know, that whatever the outcome is, I will make sure that one way or another Notary2Pro will do it’s best to provide you with the tools you need to fulfill whatever educational requirements are demanded of you.


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Notary Training By States What is it and How does it benefit you?

10/30/2015

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Notary Training by States is the latest venture from Carol Ray, Owner/Instructor of Notary2Pro. Notary Training By States (NTS) is a website that covers training for all 50 states and is geared towards new Notary Public's. Some may say that Notary Public's are the same as Notary Signing Agents; that's not true. Certification is offered to Notary Signing Agents stating that they have achieved a goal in mastering Loan Documents. 

But what about the Notary Public?  They receive their "Commission" but that doesn't mean they know what they are doing. Sure there are some that get a certificate after taking a required course but there are a lot that do not. There are states that require training, about 16, but that is minimal considering we have 50 states. That means that a HUGE majority of Notaries aren't properly trained. Some, as we heave heard, don't even know how to use their stamp or know that they needed to? That is a very scary thought. 

Well hearing those stories made Carol take notice; being the consummate advocate and teacher for Notaries, Carol knew she had to do something about it. That is where NTS was born. We, Carol and I (her daughter & partner in this venture) gathered the most competent instructors to teach these online courses. There is one course per state and they all cover the Rules and Regulations, basic Notary documents, and more so that the new Notaries taking these courses will be well trained...Notary2Pro standard trained.

We wanted to offer excellent courses but at a very reasonable rate. Most courses are $29.95; they are strictly online and some even come with extra course materials. These courses are very comprehensive but not boring. The Notary will walk away feeling more confident about their profession.

If you know of a new Notary, someone needing to renew their commission or someone that could use the training be sure to send them to www.notarytrainingbystates.com. We are sure that even the seasoned Notary can glean something from these courses.


There are plenty of resources on the website in the marketplace like Notary Supplies, pre-paid legal, and much more. If you have a product you would like to sell look under the Marketplace tab for more information. 


If you are interested in our newsletter or what other information we have to offer feel free to go to: www.notary2pro.com and "join our email" (under the register tab)

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Marketing your business part 2

10/30/2015

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Let’s talk about person to person marketing and the few key items you should have to become more successful.

Person to person: I stated earlier that I created a networking group. What made the group unique was I opened it to women owned businesses and only allowed one from each category; that meant there was no competition within the group. We also, as a group, agreed to market each others business.

Now I am not saying that everyone should do a networking group. Some of us, including myself, aren’t natural born sales people. It’s hard to recruit people and encourgae them to join your group when you aren’t the best at selling. That’s okay you can do one of two things; one, ask others to help you market or two, you can get outside your comfort zone and get out there. I went business to business. Personally I was outside my comfort zone but I did it and it has made me a better business owner. I can now address those “difficult” customers without jumping under the covers and hiding.

Person to person advertising is sometimes the BEST method of advertising if you have a strong group of people behind you. You have to make sure that your friends and family are doing this for you and not for their own agenda. Once you establish that group hand out (business) cards, brochures, or whatever else you need to market yourself.

Here are a few items you will need to market yourself successfully:

·         Get yourself a website to show your wares or what services you offer.  The website will show that you are serious about your business. DO NOT get any of the “free” websites as they have ads and they also scream “I’m not professional.” {I create great sites at a great price and I can help you.}

·         Get a business “trade” name. This helps you because you are able to open a business checking account, and it also helps you to obtain a better domain name for your website.

·         Get some marketing material (I can assist you with this as well) and make sure that you carry them at all times. You just never know who you will run into.

·         Get some portable “credit card” plan. I use Square. They charge a percentage (around 3%) from the total sale and no other fees at all. PayPal is another one that takes out fees but don’t charge you on the back end. What is nice is that they give you a card reader that you attach to your Android or iPhone, through the earpiece, and you can swipe the card or you can manually enter the payment. They also keep track of what you bring in. Square allows you to send an invoice via your phone plus they (generally) place money in your account within 48 hours, sometimes faster.

The most important thing to remember about marketing yourself and or your business is FOLLOW THROUGH. Don’t just call a company once then forget to follow up. There is that old saying, “Out of site, out of mind.” That is true…you need to let people know that you are out there. You need tomake sure that you are doing EVERYTHING you can to get yourself or your business out there to get noticed and to be successful.

If you need any marketing tips, a website or marketing materials contact me and we can discuss the best option for your business. You can contact me at either: barbara@notary2pro.com or everythingelsemarketing@gmail.com  

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Marketing Your business

10/30/2015

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Marketing yourself is a crucial element in any business. Some have large budgets and can advertise on the internet, television, radio, etc. However, there are those with less of a budget and they don't have the additional resources to advertise their business. 

There are ways that you can advertise your business without dolling out a lot of cash. I will give you all the tips that you need to get your business recognized; the rest is up to you. 

Before I give you these valuable tips there are a few things that you will need to do in order to prepare for marketing. 

1. You must come up with a business plan. The business plan allows you to set the goals that you want to achieve. No one has to see this business plan but you will want to have one set in place, if for nothing else, than organization.

2. Know what your limitations are. NEVER over extend yourself financially or in any other way that will compromise your product, even if that product is you.

3. Have confidence in yourself and the product you are going to market. If the product is the service you offer i.e. a Notary Signing Agent then make sure that you are confident in what you are presenting. If you aren't sure that what you offer is of value then others won't either.

4. Know your competition. If you are offering a product where there is a LOT of competition then find something unique that you offer (that your competitors don't) and capitalize on that. The more unique the product or service the more you and your business will stand out.

5. Have a support system. It is always great to have a support system to give you the advice and support you need. You might be the sole proprietor or service provider but having a "sounding board" is a plus. It is also helpful because they can be your marketing team and the best part is they are FREE. Depending upon the item(s) promoted I use various items to thank those who support me. If someone refers a paying customer for a website then I usually give them a free marketing item (i.e brochure, postcard, etc.) or I will give them a  year of free hosting. 

6. PATIENCE! Don't expect to get your first sale, job, etc. five minutes into the launch. You will have to dedicate time and resources to get your business off the ground. It might take you a week, a month or even longer. Don't EVER give up. Dreams are always worth pursuing...everyone always say "follow your dream" but they never tell you it can/will involve hard work, perseverance and dedication. If you believe in it then others will too. There may be times when you will have to "prove" yourself or your product but in the end it is all worth it.

So now that we have established the prerequisites for marketing let's get started with the actual marketing tips.

1. Advertising comes in MANY forms: print, virtual (internet), word of mouth, etc. Decide which will work best for you. If you are more internet savvy then use social media to announce your product or service. If you are a social person, find local networking groups to join. {I actually started one and I can teach you how to start a (for profit) networking group. You can email me if you want more information...}

Advertising can be done for free, low cost or as stated above a LOT of money. The most important thing to remember is get the biggest "bang for your buck." If you can use social media and places like Etsy, Pinterest, Instagram, Linked-In and of course the standards like Facebook and Twitter then GO FOR IT! Marketing the heck out of yourself. If you can do it for free (no money) then wonderful. Yes, your time is valuable and  you might not see a return on your investment right away but that will come after your first sale or first assignment.

To be continued....be sure to follow us here, on Facebook and Twitter for more marketing tips. Number two will be posted tomorrow.

Blog by:
Barbara Ray, Executive Assistant ~ Notary2Pro
Owner, Everything Else Marketing

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    Carol Ray, Owner

    Barbara Ray, Executive Assistant.

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