Streamlining Your Workflow: Tips for Efficient Signings

Laura Biewer & Jen Neitzel in Montana at their 2025 Notary Conference

This month I asked my notary bestie, Laura Biewer with CoachMeLaura.com to share some of her best tips for successful loan signings. It's the time of year when we should be expecting an uptick in this part of our business. Here, Laura gives her top-tier advice to help you run a smooth, efficient closing. 😀

In the fast-paced world of loan signings, efficiency is crucial—not just for maximizing

your time, but also for enhancing the overall experience for signers. I want to share key

strategies that can help you improve efficiency during loan or trust signings without

compromising the quality of the process.

Why Efficiency Matters

Improving efficiency in your signing process has several benefits:

• Maximize Your Day: fit more assignments into your workday by streamlining

tasks.

• Optimize Your Earnings: spend less time on lower-paying jobs, allowing you to

focus on higher-value assignments.

• Create Buffer Time: add extra time for calls, document drops, and well-

deserved breaks.

• Promote Health: minimize discomfort related to repetitive strain, such as carpal

tunnel and arthritis.

• Balance Quality and Speed: strive for a workflow emphasizing efficiency and

effectiveness.

5 Areas to Streamline

Here are five critical areas where you can enhance your signing process:

1. Acceptance/Pre-Appointment: carefully evaluate assignments before

accepting them to ensure they align with your expertise and availability.

2. Set Up at the Table/Instructions: ensure your signing area is organized and

you provide clear instructions to signers right from the start.

3. Presentation of Documents: present documents in a logical order and explain

their purpose clearly to the signer.

4. Notarization: be meticulous in your notarization process, ensuring all required

elements are completed legibly.

5. Journal Entries: keep track of your notarial acts efficiently, documenting what is

necessary to comply with your state's requirements.

Methods to Save Time (Proactive Management)

• Conversations with Signers: engage in clear and proactive communication

with signers before the appointment to address any questions or concerns.

• Preparation of Package/Notary Instructions: prepare all documents and

instructions beforehand to avoid delays during the signing.

• Table Setup: arrange your signing table to promote efficiency, ensuring

everything is within reach.

• Instructions to Signers: provide step-by-step guidance to signers to minimize

confusion and speed up the process.

• Documentation Shortcuts: use tools like certificate and journal stamps or out-

of-state certificates to save time on documentation.

Notarization of Documents

• Out-of-State Wording: when applicable, use out-of-state wording for

notarizations to streamline the process.

• Simultaneous Work: while the signer reviews and signs documents, work on

completing the notarization page to save time.

• Use of Stamps: employ certificate wording stamps and date, county, and name

stamps to simplify your tasks.

• See Attached Certificate stamps: use these stamps to clarify documentation

without adding extra writing.

Journal Entries - Paper

• Shortcuts for Non-Requiring States: if your state doesn't require a journal,

simplify your entries for multiple documents and signers.

• Efficiency for Required Journals: for those requiring journals, use shortcuts

for repetitive information to speed up the process.

• Utilize Stamps: consider using stamps for common entries like dates and

document types and the word ACKNOWLEDGEMENT to enhance efficiency.

• Track Minimum Entries: start with essential entries—time, notary act,

document name, and signer name—and backfill other details as time allows.

• E-Journal: if allowed in your state, move to an electronic journal for traditional

notarization work. It can reduce your time significantly. Try www.juratinc.com

Conclusion

Implementing these strategies can significantly enhance our efficiency and

effectiveness during loan signings. Improving our workflow ensures a smoother

experience for our clients and gives you time to interact with them at the table. If you

have any questions or need further details, please don't hesitate to reach

out—www.Calendly.com/biewer for a free strategy call.

Here's to working smarter, not harder!

At your service,

Laura Biewer

www.coachmelaura.com

Bestselling author Beyond Loan Signings - Amazon

www.linkedin.com/in/laurajbiewer