Peggy Lichty found her passion early...
Her career in the gift industry began when a friend told her about an opening for a sales associate for a gift wrap company, and the rest is history. Now in business for herself, Peggy Lichty and Associates is a thriving company with a sales organization of 14 and an office staff of 2, which includes two divisions: Gift and Home Decor and Paper and Gift. In the Gift and Home Decor package you will find Crabtree and Evelyn, TAG, Napa Home & Garden, Hatley, among others and some of the companies you will find in the Paper and Gift division are Boston International, The Gift Wrap Company, and Wellspring.
She started with central Pennsylvania as her territory. Peggy was able to corner the market in that area because not many were working in that region. "As I continued to add more territory, I could no longer cover all the geography myself," she explained. At that point she began to hire additional sales associates and now Peggy Lichty and Associates' territory stretches from Pennsylvania to Virginia; the Mid-Atlantic region.
Peggy believes her company is successful because of her sales associates and great support staff. "Without good people Peggy Lichty and Associates would not be such a strong agency," she said.
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"Our staff and associates are what makes it all work."
"We value our relationships with both our retailers and our vendors," she explained. "We strive for service in every concept. Because we are out there in the field every day, and on average each associate visits approximately 10 stores a week, we gain a wealth of information to share."
Sales associates often have a broader focus. "We have the advantage of knowing what products work well together in what markets. Our vendors, while diversified, complement one another. As a sales associate group we're proud of our product mix. We carry better gifts and paper products," Peggy said.
Peggy believes the benefits are tremendous to both retailers and to vendors by using a sales associate firm like hers. "Service is key, along with building relationships with our retailers," she said. "I have had the opportunity to meet such wonderful people throughout the years," said Peggy. "Our retailers are not just retailers they are also our friends. Together, we have built great loyalties to one another."
Peggy and her associates are the liaison between the retailers and vendors. "At Peggy Lichty and Associates we pride ourselves on our level of service," she explained. |
