When your business slows, repair your nets!

When Business Slows Down, Repair Your Nets

There's an old saying: "When fishermen cannot go to sea, they repair nets."

The wisdom runs deep. When waters are too rough to fish, wise fishermen don't sit idly waiting for the storm to pass. They prepare. They fix what's worn, sharpen their tools, and strengthen what they'll need when the seas calm again.

For notaries, the same principle applies.

There will be seasons when business slows—when appointments aren't flooding your inbox, your phone stays quiet, and income dips. The temptation is to worry, freeze, or simply wait it out. But smart notaries know the pause isn't wasted time. It's preparation time. Your opportunity to mend the nets of your business.

Sharpen Your Technical Skills

When you're running from one signing to the next, there's little time to deepen your expertise. Slow seasons offer the perfect moment to focus on mastery.

Review your state's notary handbook and revisit sections you rarely use. Take a course on trusts, powers of attorney, or specialized signings. If you've never handled hospital notarizations, learn what makes them unique. Study how to properly identify signers with limited ID options or physical differences from the card. Refresh your understanding of state-specific laws around credible witnesses, oaths, and journal entries.

Even experienced notaries benefit from these tune-ups. Laws evolve, forms change, and best practices continue to develop. What you know today could be slightly outdated tomorrow—and that could cost you credibility and income. Use quiet time to ensure your knowledge is airtight.  Purposeful Practice will bring mastery to your notary practice!  Join Laura's Inner Circle at www.coachmelaura.com for free Sat morning sessions to build your skill and advanced notary skill videos available.

Audit Your Marketing

Think of marketing as your visibility net—it catches opportunities.

When you're busy, your website, business cards, and social profiles often get neglected. Now's the time for a thorough audit. Does your website clearly explain what you do and who you serve? Are your specialties easy to find? Is your contact form working? Check your Google Business Profile—are photos current and reviews recent? Review your social media bios for consistency and clarity.

Consider creating a 30-day content calendar. Plan posts that reflect your expertise, like explaining what a Certified Trust Delivery Agent does or sharing insights from your mobile notary experience. When your marketing foundation is strong, you'll be ready when business picks back up.  Do you need a marketing plan?  I recommend www.marketing4notaries.com

Strengthen Your Financial Systems

Bookkeeping always seems to fall to the bottom of the list—until tax time arrives.

A lull is perfect for catching up on financials. Review income and expenses, categorize transactions, and verify your mileage log is complete. Then take it further by building systems for the future: automate expense tracking, open a separate business bank account if you haven't already, or implement the Profit First method to set aside money for taxes, profit, and owner's pay.  To track your invoices, income and expenses, I love www.notaryassist.com

This is also ideal timing to assess your pricing. Does your fee structure reflect your skill, experience, and the value you bring? If you've added services like apostilles, estate planning signings, or fingerprinting, ensure your pricing supports sustainability, not just survival.

Research Your Ideal Clients and New Niches

Every thriving business evolves, and downtime gives you space to research growth areas.

Ask yourself: Who are my best clients right now? Title companies? Estate planners? Hospitals? What do they have in common? Are there other professionals who need a dependable notary but don't know you exist yet?

Dig into those industries. Read their publications, join their online communities, and learn their pain points. Then tailor your outreach to speak directly to their needs. If you've been curious about expanding into trust delivery, apostille facilitation, or jail signings, this is the season to explore the training, tools, and legal frameworks you'll need.

Build Your Content Library

When the seas are calm, create content that will keep your business visible when the waves return.

Write blog posts answering common client questions. Record short videos explaining notary best practices or showcasing your professionalism. Draft email newsletters to nurture audience relationships. You don't have to post everything immediately—build a content bank. When things get busy again, you can pull from what you've already prepared instead of scrambling to create on the fly.

Connect and Collaborate

Quiet seasons are ideal for community building. Reach out to fellow notaries, join virtual meetups, or attend local networking events. Collaboration often leads to new partnerships, referrals, or ideas you hadn't considered.  The national notary association annual conference is coming May 3-5, 2026 and will be in Orlando Florida.  check out www.nationalnotary.org/conference for speakers.

You can also volunteer your time teaching others, joining notary associations, or mentoring a new notary. Helping others sharpen their nets strengthens the whole fleet.

Refresh Yourself

Finally, don't overlook the personal side of the pause. Fishermen can't sail endlessly, and neither can you.

Rest. Reflect. Read. Reconnect with family and friends. Step back and evaluate what's working and what isn't. Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is gain clarity on where you want to steer your business next.

Even in Stillness, There's Progress

When business slows, it can feel uncomfortable—but remember, the pause is not punishment. It's preparation.

Every repaired net, every sharpened skill, every new connection is progress, even when it doesn't immediately show on your calendar.

The storm will pass and the sea will calm. When it does, the notaries who used their downtime wisely will be ready—not just to get back to work, but to rise to the next level.

So when you can't go to sea... repair your nets.