Calvert - County Times - Southern Maryland Online

The Calvert GazetteThursday, March 15, 2012 6Library MarksSeuss’ BirthdayNorth Beach Mayor Mark Frazer kicked offCalvert Library, Twin Beaches Branch’s Dr. SeussBirthday Celebration on March 1 with his entertainingreading of The Cat in the Hat. Over 60 attendeescelebrated this annual event with readings,skits, and activities based on Dr. Seuss’s much-lovedbooks. Regan Cashman, Twin Beach Players YouthTroupe Committee Chairperson, brought young actorsin costume who contributed to the “Seussical”fun. The Cat in the Hat himself even showed up toenjoy a rousing rendition of the “Happy Birthday”song, and of course, birthday cake!Maintaining BusinessRelationships One Card at a TimeBy Corrin M. HoweStaff WriterRaleigh Weckbaugh is an active distributor of Send Out CardsThe largest first class mailing company inthe United States, Send Out Cards, has a two-foldmission: “To help millions of people act on theirpromptings and provide a vehicle for financialsuccess.”Send Out Cards allows a person to go onlineand pick out a card from over 17,000 stock cardsor create one of their own. The card is printed,stuffed, addressed, stamped and delivered out ofthe company’s headquarters in Salt Lake City.Other than the time to select the card, the entireprocess takes about 60 seconds and costs onethird the price of a store bought greeting card,which still needs to be addressed and sent, according to localDistributor Raleigh Weckbaugh.Weckbaugh gets teary-eyed as she retells the storywhich prompted Send Out Cards CEO Kody Bateman tostart the company.“He had graduated from college and was loading up hisfamily to move to his first marketing job in New York Cityfrom Utah. He saw his brother in a distant field and felt aprompting to go give him a hug and say ‘goodbye’ however,he was in a hurry. Three weeks later his mother called atthree o’clock in the morning to tell that his brother died in afreak accident.”At that moment, Bateman made a vow to God and hisbrother that he would never fail to act on a “prompting”again. He spent almost 14 years developing a business plan,waiting on technology, and gathering all the right people tolaunch Send Out Card on the Internet in 2005.Weckbaugh’s brother turned her on to Send Out Cardsin December 2008. “When I had a chance to get onto a computerand send a card, I needed no further convincing.”“It’s one of those things everyone loves. No one has eversaid, ‘Please don’t send me another card or gift.’ Sure thereare other companies out there which help clients keep in contactwith customers, but do you see an email hanging on therefrigerator?”Being able to create her own cards, take her businessanywhere in the United States as well as the values embracedby the company are reasons Weckbaugh loves working withSend Out Cards.The conventional wisdom in the business world is thatit costs five times as much to gain a new client than to keepan old one, according to Weckbaugh. Sending out cards toclients to remember birthdays, anniversaries, thanking themfor their patronage, etc. are all ways to develop and keep arelationship going with loyal customers.She talks about one of the top Send Out Card distributorswho said that he recently needed a plumber. If he had aplumber who sent him two cards during the year, he would’vecalled that plumber. Instead, he used the phonebook to findone.Weckbaugh said she has insurance agents as clients. Sherecommends they use Send Out Cards prior to the insurancepolicy renewal as a unique way to building relationships.Send Out Cards provides a mechanism to enter addresses,important dates, notes about clients, and send a reminderto choose and send cards. The company has partnered withseveral online gifts and service companies so that customerscan attach baked goods, a gift card or inspirational book withthe card.For more information contact Weckbaugh at (410) 610-2953, or visit www.sendoutcards.com/simply/corrin@somdpublishing.netCat of the WeekMaria came to us with muchenergy. She was happy and playfuland very athletic. She was adoptedin late 2009 with one of our malecats, Bugsy. Everything seemed soperfect but both cats were returnedbecause the adoptive family had tomove. Maria resides in our main catcondo room and we consider her the class clown. When other cats arejust existing, Maria is amusing herself. She loves to open the cabinet doorand we will come in and find each and every towel on the counter or floor.Her other favorite game is to get hold of a roll of paper towels. She willunravel the roll and sometimes will wrap some of it around her. We thinkshe is looking for a new ball gown. She never ceases to amaze us with herantics. She is very affectionate but sometimes in her play will reach outwith her foot to bat you. She has never really scratched anyone but we donot think it would be a good idea to put her in a home with small children.You can see Maria at the Calvert Animal Welfare League CenterPrince Frederick Md. Fri - Sunday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. or call 410-535-9300.