Notary Knowledge by Derrick Spruill
"Notary Knowledge by Derrick Spruill," created by Derrick Spruill and hosted by Eddie Montes Travis and Marylyn Lee Trotter, is the definitive podcast resource for navigating the multifaceted world of notarization. This show transcends the typical notary discussion, offering a comprehensive look at the industry from both sides of the signing table.
For notaries, whether seasoned veterans or those just embarking on their professional journey, "Notary Knowledge by Derrick Spruill" provides invaluable insights into the ever-evolving landscape. The hosts delve into the latest legislative changes, industry trends, and best practices, equipping notaries with the knowledge and tools necessary to excel. They explore effective marketing strategies, business development techniques, and the nuances of building a thriving notary practice. The show also addresses the challenges and opportunities notaries face daily, offering practical advice on handling diverse situations and maintaining compliance.
However, "Notary Knowledge by Derrick Spruill" goes beyond simply serving notaries. It also aims to demystify the notarization process for individuals seeking notary services. By examining real-life scenarios and discussing the events that necessitate notary involvement, the podcast provides a clearer understanding of why notarization is essential and what to expect during a signing. Listeners gain insight into the responsibilities of a notary, the importance of proper identification, and the legal implications of notarized documents.
Derrick, Eddie, and Marylyn bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the table, fostering engaging discussions and sharing practical wisdom. They feature expert interviews, dissect complex legal issues, and offer life lessons gleaned from years of navigating the notary field. This podcast is a vital resource for anyone seeking to stay informed, understand the notary process, and navigate the intricacies of notarization with confidence. "Notary Knowledge by Derrick Spruill" is a must-listen for notaries looking to elevate their careers and for individuals seeking to understand the critical role notaries play in legal and business transactions.
Check out the "Notary Knowledge Reference Guide and Notary Bible" by Derrick Spruill on Amazon.
Contact Information:
Email us at MobileNotary@DerrickSpruill.com
Give us a call: 1-833-462-4632
Disclaimer: The podcast Notary Knowledge by Derrick Spruill does not provide legal advice. Eddie Montes Travis, Derrick Spruill, and Marylyn Lee Trotter are not lawyers or part of any law firm. This podcast is for informational purposes only.
Notary Knowledge by Derrick Spruill
Real Estate Agent Partnership - Money Making Monday
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
Start your week with a powerful strategy to grow your business by learning how to connect with industry leaders in the housing market. In this episode, Eddie Montes Travis and Marylyn Lee Trotter discuss the essential steps to forming lasting bonds that ensure a steady stream of work every single week.
- Networking Strategy: Learn how to identify and approach top-producing agents in your local community to build a professional network that thrives on mutual trust.
- Value Proposition: Discover how to present your services as a vital solution to an agent's closing process, ensuring they view you as an indispensable asset to their team.
- Follow-Up Techniques: Explore simple ways to stay top-of-mind with your partners through consistent and professional communication that leads to repeat business.
- Referral Systems: Find out how to create a two-way street of leads that helps both you and your real estate partners grow your income simultaneously.
By mastering the Real Estate Agent Partnership, you can transform your workflow and create a more predictable income stream. This approach is the key to turning every Money Making Monday into a success. Please subscribe and like the podcast to help us bring you more business-building tips!
Show Notes:
• Strategies for identifying top real estate agents in your area.
• How to pitch your services as a solution to agent pain points.
• The role of consistent follow-up in maintaining partnerships.
• Creating mutual referral loops for long-term growth.
Buy Becoming a Notary on Amazon
Notary Knowledge Reference Guide and Notary Bible on Amazon
Your Sunday Notary Reading:
Notary Public Foundation: Essential Guide to Core Duties, Ethics, and Commissioning on Amazon
Your Monday Notary Reading:
Notary Operational Excellence: Mastering Certificates, Journals, Ink, and Copy Certification on Amazon
Your Tuesday Notary Reading:
Notary Fraud Shield: Real-World Tactics, Red Flags, and Refusal Strategies on Amazon
Your Wednesday Notary Reading:
The Mobile Notary Blueprint: Launching and Managing Your On-Demand Business on Amazon
Your Thursday Notary Reading:
Notary Niche Navigator: Your Guide to Loan Signings, Apostilles, I-9s, and More on Amazon
Your Friday Notary Reading:
Notary Law & Liability: Understanding State Regulations, Insurance, and Avoiding UPL
Your Saturday Notary Reading:
The Future Notary: Mastering RON, eNotary, and Complex Scenarios on Amazon
Quick & Easy Solutions: How to Increase Mobile Notary Business for More Success & Profit: with 37 Professional Tips on Amazon
Executive Producer Derrick Spruill
Writers Marylyn Lee Trotter and Eddie Montes Travis
Graphics & Illustrations by Eddie Montes Travis
Music by Thomas Bynum
This Show is Produced by Magnificent Workz
Business Solutions
Are you an aspiring notary looking to join millions of other notaries? Start your journey with the Notary Public Foundation by Derek Spruel. This essential guide provides the step-by-step process to becoming commissioned in your state. Don't stumble into the role. Walk into it with confidence. Grab your copy of the Notary Public Foundation by Derek Spruell on Amazon today.
SPEAKER_01Welcome to Notary Knowledge. I'm Marilyn.
SPEAKER_03And I'm Eddie.
SPEAKER_01Imagine you're uh you're just sitting in a local bank branch, right? You're watching someone across the room hand over their driver's license.
SPEAKER_03Right, just a totally normal day.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, exactly. The person behind the desk, you know, they glance at the ID, they pick up an ink stamp, and they just bring it down on a piece of paper with this loud thud.
SPEAKER_03And then the customer hands over a $10 bill and walks out.
SPEAKER_01Right. It is literally one of the most mundane, transactional, entirely forgettable errands you could possibly run.
SPEAKER_03Aaron Powell It really is. I mean, it's it's viewed as this highly commoditized, centuries-old administrative task. Most people just see it as like a minor inconvenience. Trevor Burrus, Jr.
SPEAKER_01Just something you squeeze in during your lunch break.
SPEAKER_03Exactly. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01But so what if I told you that exact same action? You know, verifying an identity and stamping a document could actually be the foundation of a highly lucrative B2B consulting operation.
SPEAKER_03That's the wild part.
SPEAKER_01It is. So today we are looking at a really fascinating stack of sources. We've got industry guides, B2B marketing blueprints, specifically the notary jumpstart course materials. And some very eye-opening data from Real Trends and the National Notary Association.
SPEAKER_03And the data is just uh it's mind-blowing because it reveals two completely different realities.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Tell them about the 80%.
SPEAKER_03Right. So on one hand, 80% of newly commissioned notaries do fewer than 10 notarizations, and then they just quit.
SPEAKER_01They just walk away.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, they make virtually nothing. But then there is this elite 5%. These high volume loan signers are generating serious revenue.
SPEAKER_01Like how much are we talking?
SPEAKER_03Upwards of $97,000 a year. And they're essentially doing the same fundamental task as that person at the bank.
SPEAKER_01That is just wild. The divergence in those numbers is staggering.
SPEAKER_03It really is. You have one massive group treating this like, you know, a passive hobby. They're just waiting around for someone to need a $10 stamp. But then you have this hyper-focused elite group. And they treat that exact same credential as a highly strategic risk mitigation service for the real estate and financial sectors.
SPEAKER_01Which totally shifts the dynamic. We've talked about similar mindset shifts in prior episodes, actually. But today, the mission here is to figure out the specific, almost surgical strategies these elite notaries use to become absolutely indispensable to real estate agents.
SPEAKER_03The savvy strategists, basically.
SPEAKER_01Exactly. We want to see how you listening right now can apply this exact same B2B mindset to your own career, no matter what field you are in.
SPEAKER_03So to understand how this elite 5% operates, we really have to look at the pressure cooker that you're stepping into, which is the real estate closing.
SPEAKER_01Yes, the closing. Because the modern real estate closing is uh it's an incredibly fragile environment.
SPEAKER_03Oh, absolutely. Standard brick and mortar title and escrow offices have these severe operational vulnerabilities.
SPEAKER_01Aaron Powell Like what specifically?
SPEAKER_03Well, the most obvious is that they usually operate on a very rigid nine to five schedule. But real estate transactions, you know, they do not respect business hours at all.
SPEAKER_01Aaron Powell No, they definitely don't. You have buyers working shift jobs or dealing with multi-state time zone disparities.
SPEAKER_03Aaron Powell Right, and urgent contract deadlines that absolutely require legally binding signatures at like eight o'clock at night or on a Sunday morning.
SPEAKER_01Aaron Powell And the source has spent a lot of time talking about this concept of crunch time. What is the actual mechanic of that bottleneck inside a title office? I mean, why can't they just handle it themselves?
SPEAKER_03Aaron Powell Well, think about the natural cycle of the calendar mortgages, rent cycles, financial reporting, it all tends to culminate at the very end of the month.
SPEAKER_01Oh, right. Everyone wants to close before the first.
SPEAKER_03Exactly. So a localized escrow branch, which you know might only employ one single in-house notary, is suddenly hit with a tidal wave of closings in the final four days of the month.
SPEAKER_01Just totally overwhelmed.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, that one person is trying to clear titles, prepare hundreds of pages of documents, coordinate with county recorders, and somehow sit down with clients for hour-long signing appointments.
SPEAKER_01Which is physically impossible.
SPEAKER_03Right. When a complex commercial deal runs long, or you know, a buyer just asks too many questions, the entire daily schedule collapses. The in-house staff simply cannot manage simultaneous appointments.
SPEAKER_01And there are also strict conflict of interest policies at play here, too, right? It's not just a scheduling thing.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, there are rules about who can actually apply that stamp. The internal regulations are incredibly strict.
SPEAKER_01Aaron Powell Because the person preparing the escrow has a financial interest in it closing, right?
SPEAKER_03Exactly. Because they have a direct financial interest in the transaction funding successfully, internal title insurance policies frequently prohibit in-house staff from notarizing their own files. Wow. Okay. And sometimes direct lender mandates enforce this too. It's just a basic anti-fraud measure. They absolutely require an independent third-party mobile notary to step in and act as a neutral witness.
SPEAKER_01Aaron Powell So they literally have no choice but to outsource it.
SPEAKER_03None at all.
SPEAKER_01Aaron Powell But let's raise the stakes here for a second. Walk us through the financial cascade of a notarial error.
SPEAKER_03Aaron Powell Oh, it gets ugly.
SPEAKER_01Aaron Powell Let's say a mobile notary comes in, they're rushing, and they just like miss a single signature on page 42, or they forget to write the date. What actually happens?
SPEAKER_03Aaron Powell Well, a single missing initial or an illegible faint ink seal triggers a massive domino effect.
SPEAKER_01Aaron Powell Just from a faint seal.
SPEAKER_03Yes. The document goes back to the lender's funding department and their compliance software or review team flags the error. And because the document cannot be legally recorded at the county level with that error, the lender rejects the entire loan package. The whole transaction halts.
SPEAKER_01The clock just stops.
SPEAKER_03Well the clock on the funding stops, but the clock on the buyer's mortgage interest rate lock keeps ticking.
SPEAKER_01Oh no. That is a huge deal.
SPEAKER_03Right. When a buyer secures a mortgage, the bank guarantees that interest rate for a specific window of time. If that rate lock expires because the closing was delayed by a faint notary stamp, the buyer is suddenly exposed to market fluctuations.
SPEAKER_01And rates can jump drastically in just a few days.
SPEAKER_03Exactly. Forcing a rate lock extension can cost anywhere from $1,000 to $5,000. And I promise you, the lender isn't going to eat that cost.
SPEAKER_01Somebody is paying for it and it's going to make everyone furious.
SPEAKER_03Right. And in a worst case scenario, if there is a major conveyance deficiency like failing to properly execute the deed itself, the original document is completely void.
SPEAKER_01So they have to start over.
SPEAKER_03Pretty much. A completely new deed has to be drafted, signed, and notarized again. That delays the transaction by winks and can potentially invalidate the title insurance entirely.
SPEAKER_01It makes me think of uh packing a parachute for a skydiver.
SPEAKER_03That's a good way to look at it.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, the skydiver is the real estate agent, the buyer, the seller. They're getting all the adrenaline. They're doing the exciting part, jumping out of the plane, popping the champagne for the million-dollar home sale.
SPEAKER_03Right. They get all glory.
SPEAKER_01Exactly. But their very survival in that deal hangs entirely on the person on the ground who carefully folded the nylon and checked the cords. One twisted cord, one missed signature, and it's a financial catastrophe.
SPEAKER_03That is spot on. Elite notaries aren't selling a stamp, they are selling disaster prevention.
SPEAKER_01Disaster prevention. That's a great profit pivot. Being the save the deal notary is what earns that fierce loyalty.
SPEAKER_03Exactly. I'll take your parachute analogy a step further. The cost of hiring a specialized mobile signing agent is usually an upfront fee of around $150 to $200.
SPEAKER_01Which is nothing compared to the deal size.
SPEAKER_03Right. In the context of a parachute jump, that fee is the absolute cheapest life insurance policy you can buy to protect a transaction worth hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars.
SPEAKER_01That makes so much sense.
SPEAKER_03Preventing just one major recording error saves an agency thousands of dollars and arguably more importantly, protects the reputation in a highly competitive market.
SPEAKER_01So if you are selling disaster prevention, who is actually buying? If I'm a rookie notary trying to break into that top five percent, my first instinct is probably to print out a stack of glossy resumes and just go knock on the door of every single title company in town.
SPEAKER_03And that instinct is shared by the 80% of notaries who fail.
SPEAKER_01Wait, really? Why?
SPEAKER_03The B2B marketing blueprints in our sources refer to this as the pipeline decision maker fallacy.
SPEAKER_01The pipeline decision maker fallacy. Okay, break that down for me. Why is targeting the title company a fallacy? They are the ones literally doing the closing.
SPEAKER_03Because title and escrow companies coordinate the physical closing process, but they function primarily as neutral stakeholders. They are just the middle of the pipeline.
SPEAKER_01I see.
SPEAKER_03The real flow of business is controlled by the front-end stakeholders, and that means top-producing real estate agents and mortgage lenders.
SPEAKER_01Because they are the ones bringing in the clients.
SPEAKER_03Exactly. The agent and the lender possess the direct trust-based relationships with the buyers and sellers. So when a deal is on the line, those front-end producers frequently dictate to the title company which specific mobile notary must be assigned.
SPEAKER_01They want their own trusted person to ensure their client has a flawless VIP experience.
SPEAKER_03Exactly.
SPEAKER_01That shifts the entire strategy. But how do you find those top producers? I mean, you can't just log on to a consumer site like Zillow and look for the agent with the most five-star reviews, can you?
SPEAKER_03No, definitely not. Consumer-facing portals are notoriously unreliable for B2B prospecting. They're heavily skewed by paid advertisements or just superficial review metrics.
SPEAKER_01So what do the elite notaries do?
SPEAKER_03They rely on objective transactional data. They pull reports from their local multiple listing service or MLS performance portals, or they use industry databases like real trends.
SPEAKER_01Okay, so they're looking at actual sales numbers.
SPEAKER_03Right. They completely bypass the average weekend warrior real estate agents and systematically target the top 10%.
SPEAKER_01What does that top 10% look like numerically?
SPEAKER_03Aaron Powell The data shows they target individual agents closing at least 15 sides or roughly $6 million in volume annually. And if they are looking at real estate teams, the threshold is 40 sides or 16 million dollars.
SPEAKER_01Aaron Powell Let me stop you there just to clarify the jargon for everyone. When you say size, you mean representing either the buyer side or the seller side in a single transaction, right?
SPEAKER_03Yes, exactly. A single home sale has two sides.
SPEAKER_01Aaron Powell So why 15 sides? Why is that specific number the magic threshold for an individual agent?
SPEAKER_03Aaron Powell 15 transactions a year is generally recognized as the exact breaking point where an individual real estate agent can no longer handle their own administrative workload.
SPEAKER_01Oh, they're too busy to do the paperwork. Right.
SPEAKER_03At 15 sides, the sheer volume of compliance checks and scheduling begins to interfere with their ability to actually sell homes. They are forced to delegate.
SPEAKER_01Which means they aren't answering their own phone to schedule a notary for a Tuesday night closing. They have hired someone else to do it.
SPEAKER_03They absolutely have. And that brings us to the ultimate gatekeeper in this entire industry, which is the transaction coordinator.
SPEAKER_01The TC. So they are the ones actually running the machine behind the curtain.
SPEAKER_03The TC is the detail-driven, compliance-obsessed administrative hub of a top real estate team. They manage every single piece of paper from the moment a contract is signed until the keys are handed over.
SPEAKER_01That sounds incredibly stressful.
SPEAKER_03It is. And what is particularly interesting in the source material is the professional overlap between TCs and elite notaries.
SPEAKER_01Oh, really? Like what?
SPEAKER_03Well, many top-tier TCs hold advanced designations, like the certified transaction coordinator credential. That takes over 17 hours of continuing real estate education to earn.
SPEAKER_01So they really know their stuff.
SPEAKER_03Oh yeah. They deeply understand loan documents, complex compliance standards, and rigid escrow timelines.
SPEAKER_01Aaron Ross Powell So you definitely cannot just walk into an office, wave your $10 stamp around, and expect them to respect you. You have to speak their highly technical language.
SPEAKER_03Exactly. To win a TC's business, your operational standards have to mirror theirs. You must guarantee immediate appointment verification, flawless physical document return, and proactive courier tracking updates.
SPEAKER_01You have to be as obsessed with the details as they are.
SPEAKER_03Right. And perhaps most crucially, you have to prove you can handle secure digital file management.
SPEAKER_01Because of all the sensitive financial data.
SPEAKER_03Yes. Federal data security standards, specifically the Graham Leach Bliley Act or GLBA, mandate exactly how financial data is handled. A professional notary cannot just use, like, an unencrypted personal Gmail account to receive loan packages.
SPEAKER_01Because it's full of social security numbers and bank details.
SPEAKER_03Exactly. If you demonstrate that you utilize encrypted GLBA compliant portals, you immediately signal to the TC that you are a peer, not an amateur.
SPEAKER_01Okay, so we've identified the gatekeepers. We know these highly trained TCs are the ones making the call, but knowing who they are doesn't solve the problem of getting their attention. That's true. You can't just send a generic encrypted email and expect them to hand over a million dollar closing. And let's be honest, nobody likes a cold pitch. So how do you physically get your foot in the door of a chaotic real estate office without being instantly labeled as an annoyance?
SPEAKER_03This requires a highly calculated physical outreach strategy. In real estate circles, it's known as the pop by.
SPEAKER_01Just popping by the office. It sounds casual, but I'm guessing it isn't.
SPEAKER_03It is not casual at all. It has to be executed with extreme social intelligence. Right. The greatest fear any mobile notary has when walking into an office is being perceived as an intrusive salesperson who is going to corner a busy TC and waste their time.
SPEAKER_01So how do you avoid that?
SPEAKER_03To proactively dismantle this friction, elite notaries use a psychological tactic called the keys in hand or porch first approach.
SPEAKER_01Keys in hand. Meaning they literally walk in holding their car keys.
SPEAKER_03Yes. They keep their car keys prominently displayed in their hand the entire time. It is a brilliant piece of nonverbal communication.
SPEAKER_01Oh, I see where this is going.
SPEAKER_03When the receptionist and the TCs see the keys, it instantly signals that the notary is on a tight schedule, has an immediate destination, and absolutely will not trap them in a 20-minute sales pitch.
SPEAKER_01It lowers the office's defensive barriers before a single word is spoken.
SPEAKER_03Exactly.
SPEAKER_01I am stealing that. Next time I'm at a party and I get stuck talking to someone who won't stop talking about their cryptocurrency portfolio, I'm just gonna hold my car keys up. Like, look, I'm busy, I'm successful, and I am leaving imminently.
SPEAKER_03It works in almost any social dynamic where you need to artificially constrain the interaction time.
SPEAKER_01That is so smart.
SPEAKER_03And in this B2B context, they pair that brief window of lower defenses with a small, high utility or consumable gift, usually attached to clever marketing copy.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, the sources have a whole list of these, like dropping off a retractable metal tape measure with a tag reading, My commitment to accuracy always measures up.
SPEAKER_03Yes, or a travel-sized bottle of sunscreen that says, Don't let clerical errors burn your deals.
SPEAKER_01One of them was even a small potted succulent with a note saying, My business grows thanks to amazing partners like you.
SPEAKER_03It might sound a bit cheesy on the surface, but the underlying psychology is incredibly sound.
SPEAKER_01Oh so.
SPEAKER_03Well, a tape measure stays on a desk or gets tossed into a glove box for years, creating persistent passive visibility. A succulent sits on a windowsill for months. It triggers the psychological law of reciprocity without feeling like a heavy-handed, aggressive sales pitch.
SPEAKER_01Okay, I have to push back here for a second. Sure. Holding your car keys is a great psychological trick, and dropping off sunscreen is definitely memorable. But wait, you were telling me a real estate team doing sixteen million dollars in volume is gonna trust me with a massively complex legal transaction just because I handed the gatekeeper a mini cactus.
SPEAKER_03You are right to be skeptical because the gift itself does not prove competence. The gift is essentially a Trojan horse. It gets you through the fortified gates with a smile. But what actually conquers the room, what proves you are that parachute packer we talked about earlier, is the credential package you leave behind with that succulent.
SPEAKER_01Ah, the paperwork.
SPEAKER_03Yes. Elite notaries compile a highly polished physical binder. It contains tangible proof of their state commission, their National Notary Association background screening, and an active surety bond.
SPEAKER_01So they're leaving behind hard proof of their qualifications.
SPEAKER_03Exactly. It also includes a detailed geographic service map, proving they offer 24-7 coverage in the exact zip codes that specific real estate team serves.
SPEAKER_01And the insurance. The insurance numbers in the sources really jumped out at me.
SPEAKER_03That is the ultimate closer right there. They provide a certificate of high limit errors and omissions, or EO insurance.
SPEAKER_01Which is huge.
SPEAKER_03Right. While your average hobbyist notary at the bank might carry a state minimum policy of five or ten thousand dollars, these professional B2B notaries carry EO, policies ranging from $100,000 to a full $1 million.
SPEAKER_01A million dollars in liability insurance just to stamp a piece of paper.
SPEAKER_03When you connect this back to the nightmare scenario of the expired rate log or the voided title insurance, a million dollar policy makes perfect sense.
SPEAKER_01Because it covers any possible mistake.
SPEAKER_03Exactly. It completely insulates the title company, the mortgage lender, and the real estate brokerage from financial liability if a catastrophic clerical error occurs.
SPEAKER_01It tells the transaction coordinator, not only am I meticulous, but if the unthinkable happens, your entire firm is financially protected.
SPEAKER_03Right. The cactus makes them smile, but the million-dollar policy makes them hire you.
SPEAKER_01Wow. So the physical pop-ye builds the human trust, and the credential package proves the technical competence. But to truly solidify your status as an indispensable partner, it seems like you have to be able to solve impossible logistical nightmares too.
SPEAKER_03Oh, absolutely. You have to be the ultimate problem solver.
SPEAKER_01Right, because you can't insure against space and time. Think about these real life scenarios we see all the time. Like you've got David in Ohio, right? He has a broken arm.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, he literally cannot sign physical papers.
SPEAKER_01Or Jessica in Florida dealing with an elder mobility issue where she can't leave her house.
SPEAKER_03Right. Or Marcus in New Jersey handling complex foreign documents.
SPEAKER_01Exactly. And Elena in Texas, who needs total privacy for a high-profile transaction, or Kevin in Washington stuck with a frustrating DMV ID issue. A physical pop by doesn't help anyone in those scenarios. So what happens?
SPEAKER_03Historically, those scenarios would cause a massive stressful delay. It would require overnighting thick stacks of physical documents across the country, crossing your fingers, and hoping a notary didn't make a technical error that would result in a rejection three days later.
SPEAKER_01Just a total nightmare for the TC.
SPEAKER_03But today, the top five percent of elite notaries use technology as a massive competitive differentiator. Specifically, a framework called remote online notarization or R on.
SPEAKER_01Remote online notarization. How does that practically function when you are dealing with rigid county recording laws?
SPEAKER_03Elite signing agents master highly compliant secure platforms like Proof or OneNotary to execute what is known as a hybrid e-closing.
SPEAKER_01So they do it all digitally.
SPEAKER_03Yes. So for example, the buyer sitting in their living room logs into a secure audio video platform. The specialized notary uses knowledge-based authentication and credential analysis to verify the buyer's identity digitally.
SPEAKER_01Okay, so it's totally secure.
SPEAKER_03Right. They witness the digital signatures in real time over the video feed and then apply a cryptographically secure digital notarial seal.
SPEAKER_01So they completely eliminate the geographic bottleneck in real time. That solves the issue for David with his broken arm or Jessica who can't travel.
SPEAKER_03Precisely. Rather than viewing technological automation as a threat to their job security, the top tier leverages it. They solve remote signing challenges for out-of-state buyers or even international investors, accelerating transaction times from days down to minutes.
SPEAKER_01And the sources emphasize that this technological edge isn't just about the act of notarizing online. Modern notaries have to be incredibly visible digitally to capture the business in the first place.
SPEAKER_03Digital visibility is the safety net for those panic moments. Imagine a real estate agent realizes at 7 p.m. on a Friday that an addendum needs to be signed immediately to save a deal.
SPEAKER_01They are not at their desks searching through a physical Rolodex.
SPEAKER_03No, they are in their car frantically searching on their phone. Elite notaries invest heavily in local search engine optimization. They maintain fully optimized Google business profiles that broadcast their 24-7 availability and highlight their specific loan signing credentials.
SPEAKER_01And they digitize the networking process too. I love the detail about digital business cards and the source materials.
SPEAKER_03Traditional paper business cards handed out at open houses or real estate mixers are almost immediately misplaced or thrown away.
SPEAKER_01I know I lose them all the time.
SPEAKER_03We all do. So elite notaries use digital business card platforms like Blink. During a brief two-minute interaction with an agent, they just have the agent scan a QR card on their phone screen.
SPEAKER_01And it just goes straight into their phone.
SPEAKER_03Exactly. The notary's contact information, their high limit credential summary, and real time booking link are instantly saved directly to the agent's smartphone contacts.
SPEAKER_01So when that Friday night panic sets in, the solution is literally already sitting in the agent's pocket.
SPEAKER_03That is the ultimate goal of the elite tier. You are no longer Longer providing a localized errand service, you have positioned yourself as the integrated emergency backup system for a high volume business.
SPEAKER_01This is a total masterclass in repositioning value. We started this looking at a massive disparity.
SPEAKER_03It's all about strategy.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. The difference isn't that the top 5% have a better quality ink pad. The difference is a complete paradigm shift. They move from a passive, transactional, hobbyist mindset, waiting for $10 to walk through the door, to a proactive B2B relational model.
SPEAKER_03Exactly. They understand that they aren't selling ink on paper. They are selling speed, absolute accuracy, and risk mitigation to highly stressed professionals.
SPEAKER_01They stop cold-calling neutral title companies and instead use data to target the top 10% of real estate producers. They learn the highly compliant language of transaction coordinators.
SPEAKER_03They break the ice with smart psychology, prove their worth with million-dollar insurance policies, and use digital platforms to completely remove geographic friction.
SPEAKER_01When you look at all those moving parts, it really is a sophisticated consulting model masquerading as an administrative task.
SPEAKER_03It really is. And if you are listening to this right now, whether you work in tech, human resources, marketing, or logistics, think about your own industry.
SPEAKER_01You likely operate within a larger system that has its own bottlenecks, its own end-of-month crunch times, and its own highly stressed gatekeepers.
SPEAKER_03Right. What is your equivalent of the ink stamp?
SPEAKER_01Exactly. What is the thing you do that everyone assumes is just a commodity? But if it goes wrong, the whole project crashes.
SPEAKER_03If you can identify the exact vulnerabilities and financial fears of the decision makers in your field, just like the elite notary identifies the fear of a ruin rate lock and package your specific skills as the ultimate insurance policy against those fears, you instantly elevate your value.
SPEAKER_01You stop competing on price and you start competing on risk mitigation.
SPEAKER_03That's the secret.
SPEAKER_01I love that framing. Well, if you want to dive deeper into these strategies, we highly encourage you to buy the notary knowledge books by Derek Spruell and visit the notary knowledge website.
SPEAKER_03Definitely check those out.
SPEAKER_01And please remember to rate the show, subscribe, and share this with others who might find it valuable. Also, email your questions to Derek at DerekSproul.htom. We will try to answer as soon as possible at the end of our shows.
SPEAKER_03We always love hearing from you.
SPEAKER_01Big thanks to our team. Executive producer Derek Spruel, lead writer Marilyn Lee Trotter, graphics by Eddie Montez Travis, music by Thomas Bynum, and produced by Magnificent Works Business Solutions. Don't just be listeners of the knowledge, be doers of the knowledge. This is notary knowledge. Until next time.
SPEAKER_03Have a great one, everyone.
SPEAKER_01Here is a final thought to mull over. If a highly standardized, centuries-old administrative task like notarization can be transformed into a premium, six-figure consulting service simply by repositioning how and to whom it's offered. What commodity skill in your own professional toolkit could be completely repackaged as a high-stakes premium solution?
SPEAKER_00Since you started your notary business, strive for excellence. Introducing the book Notary Operational Excellence by Derek Spruill. Build your business on a beacon of precision and trust with expert advice. Check out Notary Operational Excellence by Derek Spruel from Amazon.com, Barnes Noble, Books of Million, Bookshop.org, Mobile Notary by DerekSprowel.com, or download from Kindle Today.