Hello! I hope you have all been well this week.

We are going to move into topics relating to wills and estate matters from a notary’s perspective for the next few weeks. This is one of my favorite topics, but it is a long one, so we will break it down into manageable discussions.

Sneak Peek at the Series

There will be five parts. The subtopics that I have listed below may grow, but for now, the ones that we will cover are stated.  

Be sure to check out the Fall Marketing Tips below the series outline! 

Disclosure — Keep in mind that the author is not a lawyer.

I am not an attorney and Notary.net does not give legal advice. The owners of Notary.net allow me to choose my topics and describe the general notary practices mentioned in them according to my observations and experiences. These do not necessarily represent their own opinions or processes. Where a law can be cited, I do cite it, but most of the material in my blog articles are general notary knowledge or best practice discussions. The material is generic to the entire U.S. rather than one state. So, please use any information gained from this or other articles I write  at your own risk. Contact your own attorney or the notary public administrator in your state for guidance if you are unsure of how to handle a notarial duty.

 

Part 1 – Introduction to the Series (Today)

• Sneak peek at upcoming series.
• The Author is Not a Lawyer

Part 2 – Notarizing Wills

• Every State is Different!
•  Should I do it?
• Clients of advanced years
• Witnesses and journals
• Avoiding UPL When Notarizing Wills

Part 3 – Notarizing Powers of Attorney

• Every State is Different! 
• What is a power of attorney?
• AIF & Grantor / principal–who is who? 
• Clients of advanced years
• Avoiding UPL when handling POAs.

Part 4 – Using Powers of Attorney at a Loan Signing

• Every State is different!
• Hiring parties have requirements!
• Looking up certificates that your state uses for powers of attorney.
• What do your state’s certificates look like?

Part 5 – Loan signings that include representatives of a trust or an estate

•  Again, every State is different!
•  Look to your hiring party.
•  Examples of how documents are signed.

 

Fall Marketing Tips!

The year of the end is approaching rapidly. The fall is a great time to market general notary services as well as loan signing services. You have five holidays in a row to make an impression.  This is a huge opportunity to make yourself memorable.

You can send out greeting cards for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and for New Year’s Day! 

PLUS, add in February 15th for Valentine’s Day (And in 2020, you can also do something on the 29th because it is leap year! ) 

Sample Holiday Campaigns

You might want to do a “Pumpkin Spice” theme campaign.  People go crazy for that flavor when it is available in stores. 

Use the nostalgia of Pumpkin Spice (or other scented memory) to be memorable yourself! Put pumpkin spice-related images, recipes, and holiday tips on a marketing piece that you give out to local businesses. I like to use slightly shiny paper that would be good for a brochure.  You don’t have to add scent, but the visual of your recipe and pumpkin spice or other holiday food references will hit the mark.

Monthly Mini-Campaigns

October – Simple Halloween card. If you are going door to door, take a little pumpkin to sit on someone’s desk.

Early November – Do a handout with your name on it and include pumpkin spice recipes, pictures, and holiday ideas.

Early December – Use visuals with cranberries and wreaths. Add a recipe for apple cider and an easy recipe for something that can be served at holiday parties.

January – Send a “Happy New Year!” card.

February – I think the best way to make a client remember you for Valentine’s Day is to get a box of children’s valentines and slip in a heart-shaped red sucker or to put a packet of flower seeds in the envelope with best wishes for the upcoming spring season. 

For your favorite loan signing clients, purchase $5 gift cards from Starbucks now to give out later around Christmas. Money is always short later in the year.

Send these things in a greeting card or hand them out personally.

Cookie Campaign
Another way to get your contact information into the hands of potential referral sources and people like workers in doctors’ offices, hospitals, and local banks is to bake cookies.

Consider making cookies and including the recipe with your contact information on it. If you only use pre-made cookie dough to make cookies, that’s okay, too! Write down how you do that on your handout. Jokingly admit that you quit making cookies from scratch when you became a notary.

You could even pick up a box of doughnuts (very inexpensive) to drop off at offices that may be able to refer you. When you do, give out a handout with your contact information and a few easy holiday tips and/or easy recipes.

Note this, please!

Where I mention “handout” above, you may want to take several to one place.  You can also include a stack of your  business cards.  The handout will create the visual holiday imagery in addition to the card.  It will help you be impressed into their memories!

 

Please add comments and questions below!   See you next week!