Hey Margaret,

As you gathered until you advertise and market it is very difficult to get more customers until you build that mouth to mouth referral.

There are several ways to expand your existing client list.  One is ask for referrals from your current clients.  The title industry can be a tightly knit group and they do talk with each other.  When you give one client good service they usually don't mind referring you to someone else.

Second is to scour the phone book for clients.  I believe NC is an attorney state and that way you can narrow your search to attorneys that deal with real estate.

Another way is to search the internet for national title companies.  A lot of them have NC attorneys review their work prior to issuance of a policy.

One thing I learned in marketing my business is to never rely on one marketing technique or one type client.  Mix it up.  You will not be able to count on the Hot List for all your clients.  Not only go after the local clients, but go after the regional and national clients.  If you only offer current owner searches, expand and offer document retrievals, recordings, etc....  You could also expand your services, if your state allows, as a notary in witness closings.

When marketing don't show the price difference, show the service difference.  If their vendor takes a week, can you complete it in two days without sacrificing quality?  Are your reports presented in a nice easy to read manner?  Point out why you are better.  Nothing turned me off more than when someone would slam their competition.  To me that does not show me that they were better, just they had nothing to show.

Last, never promise more than you can deliver and deliver more than you promise.

Good luck!!!

Jay Duncan