So much has happened since my last blog post! I traveled to Modesto, CA to participate in the Notary Symposium, hosted by Laura Biewer. I hung out with the bestest of notary friends while there, laughed until my abs hurt, drank more wine and ate more cheese than is probably good for one human to ingest and created some amazing memories ....but I also got covid. FREAKING COVID! This is my first time having it, and while I am beyond grateful that it happened to me after my 4th vaccine so the symptoms are minor compared to what it would be like without vaccines, I'm also totally depleted. I came home with a list a mile long of new ideas and things to accomplish, but nothing is really getting done. My energy level is very low and keeping my eyes open has proven to be a challenge. I'm also being rather pouty about the possibility of not being able to participate in the large, fun-filled Neitzel family Thanksgiving with my extended in-laws on Thursday. I was really feeling sorry for myself this morning when I tested positive again and realized if I don't test negative in the next couple of days, I won't get to see my kids for Thanksgiving either and that's never happened before. Que the violins.... It was at that pity-party moment that I thought about my best friend, Julie. She and her parents all got covid in December of 2020. This was before the vaccine was available, and all 3 of them were hospitalized. Her Dad didn't come home. Covid took him.....and a million others who won't get to spend holidays with their families ever again. Every single one of us knows someone who died from Covid in the early days of the pandemic. My pity party quickly turned into grief, not only for Julie's Dad (who I adored), but for everyone who lost their battle with Covid.....and then miraculously, I felt the warmth of being fully grateful that my turn with it came after several rounds of vaccines so I am more protected from the severity of the virus. Things may not go the way they usually do this week, and I may not get to see the kids or my extended family for Thanksgiving. I'll likely get behind on my work, my blog posts, returning emails and phone calls, but I'm OK with it because I'm here when so many others aren't. Perspective is important, and I refuse to get down about something I can't control.

It's been a busy week. Monday was Notary Public Day, Tuesday was Election Day and today is Veteran's Day. It's a federal holiday that honors all veterans of uniformed service who served or are still serving in times of peace and war. I was curious why November 11th is the day our government chose to celebrate veterans and found this information directly on the VA website: "World War I – known at the time as “The Great War” - officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, in the Palace of Versailles outside the town of Versailles, France. However, fighting ceased seven months earlier when an armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. For that reason, November 11, 1918, is generally regarded as the end of “the war to end all wars.” If you're reading this and are a veteran, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY. I don't take our freedoms for granted and I respect you for the sacrifices you made to make sure we have them.

Part of the benefits of membership to Notary Business Builder is all the amazing ideas we share! I host a weekly call on Tuesdays where we talk about marketing our businesses, and last week we brainstormed fun ideas to promote our business or provide gratitude to our customers. I wanted to share this list with you because it's really good! And, it's more proof that Notary Business Builders are out of the box thinkers who know how to stand out! Holiday cards with a lottery scratch-off ticket and a sentiment that reads, "wishing you good fortune in the new year" Miniature succulents Homemade rum cakes Mason jar (or cellophane bag) layered hot chocolate fixings with Williams Sonoma decorative holiday marshmallows Peppermint bark Decorative dryer balls with essential oils Homemade soaps Small rosemary plant to mimic a Christmas tree Herb satchels for mulled wine or a holiday turkey Offer gift wrapping services If you're interested in exploring Notary Business Builder to see if it's right for you, just visit www.notarycoach.com/nbb for more information or to sign up. You won't regret it!

Yesterday was Notary Public Day and today is Election Day. I'm not going to get into a political discussion here about how I feel, but I do want to encourage you to VOTE! Our democracy depends on it, so please don't take that right for granted. Do your civic duty today!

My friend Bill Soroka’s new book officially launched September 28 and is available on Amazon in both Kindle and print editions. "The Notary Business Building Challenge: 90 Days to More Clients, More Income, and More Confidence" will help answer the question: "What can I do TODAY to move the needle on my business goals?" With over 90 Days of activities that push the envelope and stretch your comfort zone, with this book you have not just a quarterly action plan, but a blueprint to success that can be used all year long. Order on Amazon today at www.NotaryCoach.com/books

Today is our day! I hope you take a moment to pat yourself on the back for all of your accomplishments as a Notary today. As small business owners we spend a ridiculous amount of time worrying about so many different things, and we forget to be proud of ourselves for our wins. Stop for a moment and give yourself credit being a bad-ass business owner who works hard and provides for their family! I'm proud of you!

Surely you've heard about Small Business Saturday (SBS), created and sponsored by American Express? First celebrated in 2010, this national holiday calls attention to the importance of small businesses in our economy. This year it takes place on Saturday, November 26th all across the country to encourage people to shop small businesses. Hey....you're a small business! How can you get in on the fun? As luck would have it, I have a few ideas! Cami Corvin, of Corvin's Legal Services in Capitola, CA and I just wrapped up a 3-part training inside Notary Business Builder about small town marketing secrets. If you're an NBB member and missed the training, I encourage you to watch it in the replay archives for some awesome, out-of-the-box marketing ideas. At the end of the presentation we issued a challenge and I'd love for you to join in on the fun! It's pretty simple. Participate in Small Business Saturday, take a photo of yourself doing it and post it on social media with #SmallBusinessSaturday2022 (and #SmallBusinessSaturday2022NBB if you're a Notary Business Builder). Here are some ways to participate: Buying gratitude gifts for your biggest clients? Why not shop at the local gift shops instead of the big box stores? Ask the owner of the store to take a selfie with you and be sure to tag them and their store in your post, too! Volunteer at your local Chamber of Commerce to help them as they support SBS. If you're a member of your chamber, this is an easy way to get to know more people in the organization. Take pictures and post to your social media accounts tagging your chamber and other members who are volunteering! After all that shopping and volunteering you'll need to rest and rejuvenate. There's no better place than a local diner to do just that. Gather up your friends and family and enjoy a break from the Thanksgiving leftovers by eating out. Tell the restaurant owner what you're doing and ask them to take a selfie with you so you can post about it and encourage others to eat there, too! Maybe you just need a break from all the family that came into town for Thanksgiving? Gather up a few friends (bonus points if they're small business owners, too) and hit the locally owned pub for a toast to the holiday season. Be sure to tag the pub and #SmallBusinessSaturday2022! Need some gifts for the women in your life (or business) and not sure what to get them? A gift certificate to your local nail salon is a great gift idea! Take a selfie with the owner, post on social media and encourage others to visit that nail salon, too! However you contribute to SBS, be sure you're using the #SmallBusinessSaturday2022 when posting on social media. Let's promote small business across the country! If you have ideas on how to celebrate Small Business Saturday, I'd love to hear about them. Drop me an email SAM@SigningAgentMarketing.com.

Believe it or not, there is a special day dedicated to "love your lawyer," and it's this Friday, November 4th. What better excuse to reach out to attorneys in your town? If there are attorney offices you've not worked with yet, I encourage you to spend a part of Friday getting out there and letting them know you're a mobile Notary Public. Pop-In to introduce yourself! Attorneys are looking for professional representation of their office, so be sure you're dressed like a professional (yes, even on "casual Friday") and don't forget to bring your winning smile and warm heart. I know you'll feel nervous, and that is perfectly OK. No one walking into an office to meet new people wouldn't feel some level of nervousness. I want you to remind yourself that you belong there! You deserve an opportunity to meet new clients, and you're a valuable part of the team of people that support the attorney business. They need you, whether they know it at the time you Pop-In or not. And if you're already working with attorney's in your town, Friday is an opportunity to write a letter of gratitude expressing your appreciate for the business they've given you. Be sure you focus on gratitude alone - not selling your services. Handwritten "thank you's" might seem old-fashioned, but they are the best way to authentically express your appreciation.

Today is "Go The Extra Mile Day" so as you're planning your marketing for November (and likely December) be sure to plan to be EXTRA! As you know, Signing Agent Marketing recommends a minimum of 3 marketing periods per month, plus a networking activity. As we move into the holiday season I encourage you to consider adding extra time for each very important activity! Lots of offices will be hosting celebrations and you should be a part of those! How do you find them? It's simple! Be sure you're connecting with your attorney, title/escrow, etc. offices on Facebook, LinkedIn and any other social media platforms they use. Pay attention to what they're promoting. Look on the Events page of your Facebook account, too. If an office is hosting a holiday open house, then plan to attend so you can meet everyone in that office. Every chance you get to mix and mingle with potential clients is important because it gives them the opportunity to see how wonderful you are and that you care about growing your business. Adding additional Pop-In days can be more festive if you choose to dress the part. What do I mean by that? Wear that silly reindeer antler hat or Santa hat while you're visiting offices. If you have an outrageous holiday sweater, wear it while you're Popping In! My favorite thing to wear during my holiday marketing is a big Christmas lights necklace. It naturally gets the attention of anyone who sees it and everyone comments on it (usually before I even announce while I'm in the office). While you're out doing extra Pop-In visits, ask the receptionist if the office has holiday plans. If they're having an employees-only celebration, offer to contribute something to it. That can be something as simple as dropping off a gallon of iced tea or a pan of your famous homemade stuffing. Going the extra mile and sponsoring a lunch you're not even attending is impressive and will leave a good impression. Let me know what you decide to do about Holiday Pop-Ins! You never know....they might get featured in this blog (hint, hint)!!

Now that my kids are grown, Halloween isn't as exciting a holiday as it used to be when they were little. I loved helping them get all dressed up and you could feel the excitement in the air in anticipation of all that yummy candy! One of my favorite costumes the kids did was dressing up as the band KISS. It was hysterical watching them go up to our neighbors doors singing, "I wanna rock and roll all night," instead of the usual, "trick or treat!" Ahhhh, the good old days! Since the one child we still have at home is too cool to trick or treat (insert eye roll here), this Halloween my husband and I will sit on our front lawn in soccer chairs with an ice chest and pass out beers to the exhausted looking parents trying to keep up with their kiddos. We also pass our candy, but I think our house is more well known as the grown up stop at this point! On Tuesday's TNT call (if you're not registered for this free, weekly call you should be: https://www.notarycoach.com/tnt), Amy Seitz, owner of CyberizeIt gave an awesome tip for notaries who pass out candy on Halloween, and I wanted to share it with you today so you had time to put it into action for Monday's festivities. On the back of the candy you're passing out, put a sticker with your company logo and contact info! I'm going to do this with Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. On each individual package, I'll place a sticker that says, "Jen Neitzel, your favorite Coppell mobile Notary Public" with my phone number. I've already got Avery labels at home, so I'll just customize those to put on the back of the candy. I'm so excited to try this idea so everyone in my neighborhood knows there is a notary on the street for when they need one (and they will at some point)! Let me know if you like Amy's idea and how it went over in your neighborhood!