Scott’s Thoughts On: The NNA
October 14th, 2007Written by: Scott
When I first starting working as a mobile notary I was totally down with the NNA. I was listed in their directory, I was a member, I even got NNA business cards (which I misspelled my domain name in so thankfully never used).
Like many signing agents, I soon noticed the plethora of seminars, overpriced training material, and other products the organization continually puts out. As I was running my business, I would look at those postcards and say, “what in the world?” and “why are they doing this?”
The NNA has over 300,000 members.
300,000. Wow.
The NNA Makes Money Hand Over Fist
Let’s look at those numbers real quick. A one-year membership costs $52, a two-year membership costs $89. For our purposes lets say the average fee the NNA collect is $45 a year. That’s 13.5 million in revenue just from membership dues alone. Not too shabby for a very niche organization.
What is the NNA?
You might think thus far in my NNA analysis that I think the NNA is the devil. Far from it. I think part of many NSA’s hatred of the NNA stems from perceiving the NNA in the wrong light.
The NNA is a business. It’s a business that has a huge payroll expense to meet each month (nearly 300 staffers…see description at bottom of this page). If you think of the NNA as a non-profit, doing all kinds of goodness for the notary community…you’re going to be disappointed.
Not All Bad
The NNA is doing everything in it’s power to defend the legion of NSA’s in has created in the last decade. As much as many mobile notaries despise the NNA, they do attack legislation aimed at limited the powers or opportunities of notaries. This is easily evidenced by their opposition to attorney-only legislation in any state.
Bottom Line
The NNA is not going away. Love it or hate it, hopefully you’re a little more informed about the NNA’s role in our business.
Scott
October 15th, 2007 at 7:26 am
Scott,
I totally agree - as soon as I stop expecting a warm fuzzy from the NNA and began viewing them in the right prospective - as a business - their existence is more tolerable to me.
Good article.
October 15th, 2007 at 10:20 am
I was a member of the Mobile Notary Assn. when the sold it to the NNA.
I too bought this and that from them and was “Certified”. They would send out renewel notices months in advance. I once called to renew MNA section and they also added a year to my membership. Their latest ploy with the background check racket was too much. I cancelled all memberships with them.
My choice for a Notary Assn. is the American Society of Notaries.
October 15th, 2007 at 11:55 am
The “scare” regarding the background check was the absolute last strawfor me. What a way to corner what has become a huge part of our market! It scares me when I read a question on a message or chat board and a responder’s answer is, ‘Call the NNA Hotline” or, “The NNA said…”. Yikes!
October 17th, 2007 at 11:10 am
It will be interesting to see how the NNA handles the slowdown. They can’t honestly keep pumping out new notaries, right? Are they still doing seminars? I don’t seem to have seen a postcard from them in a while.
The number of mobile notaries right now seems more than sufficient for the activity right now.
I wonder how many new mobile notaries that new JJ abrams show might bring into our little world! http://www.thetvremote.com/jj-abrams-bringing-boundaries-to-abc/
January 1st, 2008 at 10:33 am
RIGHT ON SCOTT…….YOU WILL PAY 50% TO 70% MORE FOR ANY ITEM
YOU PURCHASE FROM NNA. MY DUES COMES DUE IN FEB.2008. I STARTED
GETTIG BILLINGS IN JULY…..$91.00 FOR TWO YEARS. NO I’M NOT CERTIFIED,
IN 14 YEARS, I’VE COVERED MORE EXPERENCE THAN ANY CERTIFICATION
COURSE CAN OFFER YOU.I DID GET MY BACKGROUND CHECK THROUGHTHE
NNA WITHOUT TAKING THE CERTIFICATION COURSE.NOW YOU FIGURE THAT
ONE OUT.(THEY WERE NOT TOO HAPPY) I’M NOT KNOCKING NNA, I JUST THINK THEY ARE WAY OVER PRICED.
Y’ALL HAVE A GOOD DAY
June 12th, 2008 at 10:54 am
I have just recently been impacted by this subject due to FANLA’s decision to jump on this NNA background check band wagon. I think this all an unfair ploy to squeeze money out of people who’s income is already iffy due to the type of market we are in. All the signing agencies I do business for had already required an extensive application for the purpose of background checks so why in the heck do we have to be subject to this garbage now!?! I will be fighting this bogus requirement at every corner.
November 12th, 2008 at 4:27 pm
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