The ability to give feedback that supports positive outcomes and allows for the preservation of relationships is a skill that should be regarded as a superpower. 

The challenge is that most people who request feedback ask the wrong people and in the wrong way. 

And most people who give feedback aren’t the ones who should, and then they offer what I call “fluffy feedback” anyway. 

It does no one any good and it’s a waste of time. 

How to Ask for Feedback

First, ask the right person. Seek someone who has the results you want or who has experienced something similar to what it is you want feedback on. 

There’s a big difference between opinions and good counsel. 

For example, don’t show your travel itinerary for Switzerland to your mom who's never left her hometown and ask for her insights and feedback. 

In business, don’t ask for feedback on your website from those who don’t have a ...

I know social media isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. And not everyone enjoys writing longform blog articles. 

And I suppose that’s okay…

Still, these forms of communication are effective for both building relationships (they allow your prospects to get to know, like, and trust you more), as well as for boosting online visibility with search engine optimization strategies. 

I hear lots of questions about what you’re supposed to talk about in this type of content, so I thought I’d share twelve prompts about you and the city you live in. 

The Posting Formula: Consistency Matters

When it comes to social media posts and blog articles, consistency is more important than quantity (usually). If you’re a guru of all things social, post like crazy (it does actually work). 

But if you’re new to this, or don’t enjoy it, pick a rhythm and stick to it, no matter what it is- once a day, once per week, once per...

At some point, you just have to do it. 

You have to stop thinking about it. Stop planning for it. Stop dreaming about doing it. 

And just do the thing.

The thing you know you should be doing anyway. 

Send the email to a prospect. Pop-in to an attorney. Make the cold call. Create the list. Update the profile. Click publish. Hit send. Walk out the door. Knock. Dial. Enter. 

It’s time.

Bill Soroka is on a mission to help mobile notaries serve more clients, make more money, and build a business that thrives beyond loan signings, self-reliant & untethered to the housing industry. Together with industry expert Laura Biewer, he wrote the bestselling book, “Beyond Loan Signings: How to Monetize Your Notary Commission Through Specialty Work.”You can order your copy here.

“How can I make more money as a notary public?”

It’s one of the most common questions I hear, especially now that the loan signing boom has ended (for now).  

The answer to the question comes in many forms. The standard way of answering is, “it depends on what your state allows for notarial fees and travel.”  

Or, we might talk about how important it is to ride the wave of the next big boom for mobile notaries as a Certified Notary Trust Delivery Agent.  

Both are true.  

But, there’s far more to this notary-entrepreneur thing.  

This business isn’t just about knowing how to sign, date, and stamp a piece of paper.  

It’s about people and how you treat them. It’s about the efforts you take to make sure your clients are in competent hands, genuinely cared for, and how well you provide a smooth and efficient transaction.  

You must always remember that you...

One of the benefits of owning both a signing company and an active notary directory is having a direct line of communication with hiring parties for notaries. 

Almost daily I am speaking to estate planning attorneys, real estate agents, lenders, and escrow officers to showcase the world’s best notaries on Gotary.com. 

One of my favorite questions to ask in those conversations is, “what challenges have you encountered with notaries in the past?”

You might think “mistakes” was a popular answer, but it wasn’t. In fact, aside from several nightmare stories about how notaries have responded to their errors, mistakes didn’t even make the top ten list. 

When asked how they resolved issues with notaries, most people I talked to said they love working with notaries that are professional, with a great attitude. With these two qualities, nearly any adversity can be overcome. 

That said, there are four behaviors that these...

The World's Largest Business Directory

Think of the Google search engine like the world’s biggest business directory. 

To put this in perspective for you, Google gets 91.5% of all the internet search business in the world. 

Bing gets 3.19%. 

For fans of DuckDuckGo, they get only .55%.

For your notary business to thrive, you must be listed on the Google “business directory”.

This is what we commonly refer to as, Google Business Profile (GBP).

GBP is a suite of online services that Google grants to businesses of any size at no charge. You’ve likely seen this in action already when you search for “late night munchies near me,” or “nail spa in Tampa.” 

The information that comes up, with the hours of operation, menu of services, and customer reviews, is likely the Google Business Profile for those small, local businesses. 

This is the same series of information that could come up for your notary business too! ...

Shared experiences, like networking events, live training, workshops, conferences, travel, and the like, create deeper bonds and forge the beginnings of tomorrow’s great collaborations and innovations. 

Plus, they can be fun and educational. 

If you commit to attending five peer events every year, your business, life, and network will experience limitless expansion. 

I’ve found that live, in-person events create stronger bonds faster. But if that’s not in your budget (or desire), you can still attend AND participate in online events. 

For my own schedule, I’ve committed to five in-person notary peer events for 2024, and several online events. I'll share the growing list at the end of this article.

I happen to be in Philadelphia as I write this, touring the host hotel for Judi Lawrence’s Philly Notary Social (registration now open) in October, so I’ll share about this first. 

The Notary Hotel

It...

You may be hoping I'm going to share the super-shiny doo-hickey thinga-ma-bobber that will make it rain clients and appointments for your notary business.

I am not going to do that and it doesn't exist. At least not yet, anyway (but we're working on it!).

I'm talking about your referral list. 

This is your list of people, brands, and services, that you enjoy working with enough to refer them to other people in your network. 

I liken it to Oprah's list of her "Favorite Things."

Having a list and referring to your network makes you a resource. 

Being a resource to your network will help you stand out more than anything else.  

You're an active citizen living in your city/state/country/world and you've garnered some experience, wisdom, and favorite things through life. 

Who Can Be Added to Your Referral List

Here are some examples of who can go on your list of favorite things/Referral List:

• Real Estate Agents
• Loan Officers
• Estate planning firms
• Attorneys...

If you are the bearer of a notary commission, you hold a key to income and purpose. 

Not only do notaries serve an important role in fraud and identity theft prevention, but they can also make a living doing so. 

The secret to success is moving away from being a generalist to a specialist. 

As they say, the riches are in the niches. 

The Difference Between General Notary Work and Specialty Notary Work

My friend and notary expert, Laura Biewer coined the phrase, “Specialty Notary Work” (SNW) to identify those repeatable opportunities we have under the notary umbrella. There are certain situations, facilities, document types, and even client types, that call for a little extra learning, certification, and understanding. Those notaries that take that on, can stand out and tap into growth and more revenue. 

Laura and I wrote a book about how to monetize your notary commission through specialty work called, “Beyond Loan Signings...

It’s weird being an introvert that loves people. 

Especially as a business owner. 

I’ve struggled my whole adult life with the idea of networking. I knew it was important, so I’d sign up for all kinds of networking events, fully intending to attend, but then…

IF I even left my house at all, I’d circle the block or sit in the parking lot obsessing about what to say, where to stand, or whether I’d fit in. I had to give myself a pep talk to actually walk in the door. 

Sometimes I’d actually go in. 

But mostly I didn’t. I wasn’t very good at pep talks back then. 

I would get physically sick to my stomach. I even threw up in the parking lot a few times. 

Then I’d wipe my mouth, pat myself on the back, turn around and go home. 

“At least I tried,” I’d say. 

But I needed to move through that networking anguish. I knew I liked people. This anxiety wasn’t about them,...