Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 7, 1995 TAG: 9506070063
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: B-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: TONYA WOODS STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Kevin McDonough has a degree in civil engineering. His brother-in-law, George Moore, has a degree in music education. Unlikely backgrounds for the business they've started - Card Expressions, what they claim is Roanoke's first professional card sending service.
When a company wants to create a good relationship with its employees or clients, it has Card Expressions send them personalized birthday, holiday or even anniversary cards, they said.
"People remember a greeting card," McDonough said. "When customers get cards, it lets them know they are important to the business."
McDonough said not only can a greeting card create a cordial relationship between business and clients, but it also can help ensure lasting business for the company.
"It goes back to that old saying, `The customer is always right,''' he said, "and when you have a good product, you want to extend that service the best way you can."
But why would a company pay another outfit to send greeting cards to its employees and customers?
"Well, we can do it efficiently and essentially much cheaper," Moore said.
For about $1.50 or $2 per card, Card Expressions can send personalized birthday cards to a corporation's employees. The company can either make up its own warm greeting or pick from an assortment of greetings provided by Card Expressions. With a little computer assistance, it can guarantee the employees will get their cards on the right day. Card Expressions also handles graphic designs for business cards, newsletters, fliers and brochures.
What began in Albuquerque, N.M., has made its way to Virginia. Card Expressions is a licensee of Card Senders of Albuquerque, the company that came up with the idea in 1985.
McDonough began Card Expressions in 1991 in West Palm Beach, Fla., with his wife, Lisa. Moore, who is Lisa's brother, didn't join the company until it moved to Roanoke this month.
"People ask us all the time why we moved up here from Florida," McDonough said. "We like the atmosphere and the climate here."
It was in Florida that Card Expressions handled jobs such as sending nearly 1,500 personalized Christmas cards to the members of BallenIsles Country Club in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
"We sent birthday cards to our 250 employees through them, too," said Kate Srufari, communications director for the club. "It's a good feeling for them to get a personalized card from the president of the company."
McDonough said Card Expressions is capable of serving companies with mailing lists as large as 100,000.
He declined to identify any Roanoke customers but said he has received nearly two dozen calls since distributing a letter to area businesses through the Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce. He expects the company will do better in Roanoke than in Florida, which he said has seasonal business and more vacationers and retirees.
After working in different fields, McDonough and Moore said they have learned to appreciate the importance of maintaining a good relationship between businesses and customers or employees. McDonough spent nearly three years in and out of the civil engineering field; Moore has worked as a public school music teacher, the operator of a discount movie theater and in the advertising department of the News Gazette in Lexington.
Both entrepreneurs said they were content with their present occupation and glad to be closer to home.
"We're glad to finally be our own boss," McDonough said.
Moore added, "It feels good knowing we control our own destinies."
by CNB