Networking Month: Expanding Beyond the Notary Circle

At Maryland Notaries in Action, our Stamping Through the Alphabet series continues — and November’s theme is Networking. Since the holiday season is fully underway, this is the perfect moment to make the most of the increased social activity happening around you. Holiday parties, community events, and end-of-year gatherings offer countless opportunities to meet new people. Leaning into this season now can help you close the year strong and walk into the new year with fresh connections and momentum.

Networking is one of the most powerful tools in your business toolkit, but too often, we limit ourselves to familiar spaces. We attend notary meetups, follow notary groups, and talk mostly to… other notaries. There’s value in those connections — they help us learn compliance, share experiences, and find encouragement — but if you’re only networking inside your industry, you’re missing out on opportunities to grow your business and visibility.

🔗 What Real Networking Looks Like

Networking is more than swapping business cards or adding someone on LinkedIn. It’s about creating relationships that open doors — not just to new clients, but to new insights, referrals, and professional growth.

Think about all the people who interact with notarized documents every day:

• Attorneys (estate planning, real estate, family law)

• Title companies and escrow officers

• Financial advisors and CPAs

• Loan officers, mortgage brokers, and real estate agents

• Senior living communities, hospitals, and rehabilitation centers

• Local business owners and nonprofit leaders

Access the Expanded Industry Networking Directory

When you expand your reach to these groups, you position yourself where opportunities are created, not just circulated.

🚪 Pros of Venturing Beyond the Notary Community

1️⃣ Exposure to New Markets

When you attend business networking events or chamber of commerce mixers, you meet professionals who don’t already know ten other notaries. That immediately makes you stand out.

2️⃣ Cross-Industry Learning

You’ll hear how professionals in law, finance, healthcare, or construction market their services — ideas you can adapt to your notary business. You might discover better pricing models, scheduling tools, or client retention strategies that no one in your notary group has mentioned.

3️⃣ Increased Referrals

When professionals understand how your services complement theirs, they’re more likely to refer clients. For example, an elder law attorney may keep your number on file for same-day notarizations of powers of attorney, or a hospital social worker might refer patients needing advance directives.

4️⃣ Personal Growth & Confidence

Getting out of your comfort zone builds confidence and communication skills. The more you talk about your business to different audiences, the easier it becomes to explain what you do — and to be remembered.

⚠️ Cons of Staying Stationed Around Notaries Primarily

1️⃣ Limited Perspective

If your entire circle is made up of other notaries, your ideas may sound similar. You’ll likely hear the similar frustrations, pricing debates, and marketing struggles.

2️⃣ Overlapping Competition

Networking only in notary spaces means you’re competing with everyone around you for the same limited leads. Expanding into new spaces gives you uncontested visibility.

3️⃣ Slower Growth

Without fresh input, it’s easy to plateau. Staying in the same community too long can make your marketing feel repetitive and uninspired.

4️⃣ Missed Partnerships

Opportunities for collaboration — like working with an attorney, business coach, or event planner — rarely come from within your own professional echo chamber.

🌍 Where to Network This November and Beyond

Here are a few creative places Maryland notaries can network beyond the usual circles:

• Chambers of Commerce & Local Business Associations: Introduce yourself as a mobile or remote notary offering professional signing services for members.

• Estate Planning and Legal Seminars: Meet attorneys who may need consistent, compliant notaries.

• Small Business or Entrepreneur Meetups: Share how your notarization services support business operations, contracts, and legal filings.

• Community Outreach or Senior Resource Events: Connect with caregivers, healthcare coordinators, and residents who need notarizations for medical directives or powers of attorney.

• Real Estate or Investor Meetups: Showcase your expertise in property-related notarizations and your TIPIC licensure if applicable.

• Online Networking Spaces (LinkedIn or Facebook Groups): Join groups for Maryland entrepreneurs, legal professionals, or small business owners. Comment, answer questions, and offer guidance where relevant.

🧠 A Pro Tip for Maryland Notaries

When attending an event outside your industry, listen first. Observe how others talk about their businesses — their challenges, goals, and clients. Then think about how your notary services can solve one of their challenges. That’s how true networking happens: through relevance, not repetition.

💬 Conversation Starters

When you meet someone new, skip the generic “I’m a notary” and try these:

• “I help families and professionals finalize important legal documents securely and conveniently.”

• “Many of my clients are (fill in the blank) who need reliable notaries to meet their clients where they are, such as home, work, online (if you're a RON), work, etc..”

• “I’m a mobile notary and Title Insurance Producer Independent Contractor, so I handle real estate closings that require both credentials to notarize real estate transactions that issue title insurance.”

Each of these responses opens the door for follow-up questions and creates curiosity about your services.

🌟 Final Thoughts

For November and beyond, let’s challenge ourselves to network differently. Step out of your comfort zone and into rooms where people may not know exactly what a notary does — because that’s where education, opportunity, and connection begin.

Remember: networking isn’t about collecting contacts — it’s about creating connections that build trust and open doors.

Let’s make November the month we Stamp Together and Grow Together, one new relationship at a time.

Maryland Notaries in Action