From Order Taker To Order Maker: How to Stack Your Value on Your Initial Customer Inquiry Calls

Ever feel like a human vending machine? 

A prospect calls, asks for a price, and before you can say "oath or affirmation," they’re off the phone, probably shopping for the cheapest notary in town.

Frustrating, right?

But it happens. Yes, it’s true that some prospects really are price conscious and they don’t care about anything else but getting the cheapest, rock bottom price. But I’m willing to bet MY bottom dollar those people are not YOUR ideal customers. 

Your ideal customers probably care about the quality of the work and service they’re about to receive. Your ideal customers care that you’ll be notarizing the document correctly so it doesn’t get rejected or challenged in the future. Your ideal customers will appreciate the steps you take to go the extra mile for their convenience and support. 

Yes, they’ll appreciate these things, but they don’t necessarily know how to ask for it yet. 

As notaries, we take it for granted that the public knows mobile or online services are available. We also take it for granted that the public knows how much pride we take in our work, how much training we go through, how committed we are to helping them in successful notarization and other services. 

But they don’t. 

That’s why implementing the Top of Mind Method and the SMILE framework helps you stand out in this vast “sea of sameness.” 

Let me catch you up a bit on the Top of Mind Method because this article is a continuation of my series. 

The Top of Mind Method is a collection of five opportunities we have as notary entrepreneurs to deepify our client relationships to create lifetime customers that book us, or refer us, repeatedly through the years. 

To deepify a relationship is to make an unreasonable effort to connect on a deeper level, stay in touch, and demonstrate to your network, both professional and personal, that you care about them.

You can remember the five opportunities of the Top of Mind Method with the acronym, S.M.I.L.E.:

• S is for solve the problem
• M is for masterfully deliver your services
• I is for implement Ironclad button-up
• L is for leverage a long term connection strategy 
• E is for expand your knowledge and your network

So far, in this latest series of articles, I’ve been focused on the ‘S’-Solve their problem, and in particular, how to solve their problem in the initial phone call with a prospect.

• First, we talked about how to answer the phone professionally here. 
• Then I offered some tips on how to take “gentle control” of the phone call here.
• And finally, we just recently discussed asking more of the right questions here. 

Believe it or not, IF notaries take the time to do these things, they often lose deals at this point.  

Why? Because too many notaries jump straight to price before establishing the value of their service. They ask a few questions and then throw out a price.  And when you lead with price, you set yourself up for a race to the bottom.

But here’s the strategy that can work better for you: Stack your value FIRST. Then, and only then, quote your price.

You have to connect the dots for your prospects. Show them you’re more than just a stamp. 

Stacking Your Value is Just What It Sounds Like

Before you even think about dropping a price, take a moment to paint the full picture for your client.

Here’s an example of what this might look like when someone asks about price:

The “Normal” way:

"It’s $15 per notarization, plus a travel fee." (Click. They’re gone.)

The True Professional way after you’ve followed the first three steps of the phone call:

"Okay, let me repeat back to you, so I know we’re on the same page and I can deliver exactly what you need. It sounds like you need two documents notarized, one requiring two witnesses that you’d like me to provide, and you’d like us to meet at your office downtown tomorrow at 3:00pm. 

Luckily, I specialize in these types of documents so this will help ensure a smooth, efficient, and accurate transaction and we get this done correctly. I’ll be there at 2:45 with the two witnesses, and we’ll handle that document first, so we can release the witnesses and continue with your second document privately. We’ll need a clean, flat surface, like a conference table to sign on.  I anticipate the full appointment will take about 30 minutes, but I recommend blocking out an hour so you’re not rushed. After we wrap up, I can scan the documents and send them to you securely, if needed. 

My fee for this full-service notarization, including travel & witness fees is $XX. Would you like me to confirm this on the calendar?"

See the difference?

Now, instead of being just another notary, you’ve positioned yourself as a trusted professional who ensures the process is smooth, correct, and hassle-free. 

That’s the difference between being an order taker and an order maker.

Your Price is Not Just for a Signature & a Stamp

The prospect now understands they’re paying for:

• Your time (including travel)
• Your expertise (so they don’t make costly mistakes)
• Your professionalism (peace of mind that it’s done right)
• Your convenience (they don’t have to leave their home or office)

And suddenly, your price makes perfect sense, even if it’s higher than what they expected.

If You Don’t Stack, They Won’t See the Value

Price shoppers are often looking for the cheapest notary because they don’t understand what they’re actually getting. When you educate them on your value, you shift the conversation from "How much?" to "When can you come?"

These little changes to your workflow make HUGE differences in your ability to form lifetime client relationships-relationships that will feed your soul and your bank account for years to come. 

Did you know that some notaries thrive on referrals alone? Imagine not having to hustle for new customers day in and day out. 

That’s what the Top of Mind Method can create for you. It might feel like extraordinary effort right now, especially because most notaries don’t do these things. But trust me, extraordinary effort yields EXTRAordinary results.  

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