When you own your own business its crucial to have everything in order.
There are a few aspects to the job that require organization if you are to be successful and they are not difficult or time consuming. They can become overbearing through if precautions are not taken early on and maintained.
Starting out as a notary can be challenging as there are many things to take care of.
At the start of the journey, I remember feeling underwhelmed as I was completely clueless. I took a deep breath and set my notary business brick by brick. I am here to tell you how you can give structure to your business and organize yourself as a notary. You basically need to take care of three aspects- your #notarybriefcase, #website, and #homeoffice.
Packing your notary briefcase
This is for all those notaries who are planning to set up a mobile #notarybusiness. Every mobile notary should have a briefcase for exclusively carrying tools related to notarization. Your work will require you to travel to different locations and it is important to have such a briefcase, purse, or bag. Here is a list of items you may need to carry in your briefcase:
Notary journal: A must have to keep record of all your notarizations
Notary stamp
Blue and black pens
Rubber finger
Magnifying glass, in case you have to work with forms with small print or the elderly.
Business cards
Binder clips
Setting up your notary website (optional)
The pandemic has pushed all of us inside the four walls of our house. Everything has become digital and you also should not shy away from taking your notary business online. If you hit the right chords, you may get some clients through your website. Here are some tips that you can follow for your website to expand your business online:
● Keep your home page crisp.
Any visitor should be able to understand your business by looking at the home page.
● Be clear on the services you provide
You may be a business that provides mobile notary services, notary signing agent services, inspections, courthouse research, etc. However, the visitors will not know about it unless you specify it on your website.
● Don't forget to leave your contact information
Clients often look for the contact information of the notary. So make sure you have a ‘Contact Us’ page on the website. Provide information like mobile number, email address, social media network links, etc.
Setting up your home office
As soon as I sent in my application to become a notary, the first thing I did was set up my #homeoffice. I had to keep a few things in mind while setting up the office in my house:
● Get your things in order
There are a few things you will need in order to get set up and ready to take on clients. Make sure your desk is large enough to prepare documents and house a printer if its small enough to fit on your desk. You will need a laser dual tray printer to print documents efficiently. You will also need to get a few small supplies and organize them in your desk or in a cabinet. The last thing you will need to set up is a filing system to hold on to paid invoices and receipts to prove you dropped off the packages after signings.
● Stay away from distractions
Your house was not designed to be an office. Therefore, not every place is ideal to set up your home office. Choose a place that is free from distractions and make a mental divide between your home and work area. Your space will need a computer, printer, filing system and space to prep your documents.
● Be clear with numbers
Working from home, you can’t stay behind in invoices as it affects the quality of your service and delays payments. Keep a close track of your accounts to have a good hold over your numbers. You will need to track mileage and how much to put aside for taxes monthly. This is all provided in a template to all students in my course.
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