Money, money, money!

       Trading and bartering has been an essential part of comfortable living and society in general since the beginning of time. As we all know, there were heavy amounts of trade throughout the entire history of ancient Greece. There were many techniques to both create and increase profits as the ancient greeks put taxes on items and sold to each other their different goods. The greeks were specifically known for making fine wines and spectacular pottery and selling them to other parts of the world. They knew that if they could create something that had value in the eyes and hearts of others, they could get something in exchange for that product. It was the most basic mindset that was and always will be absolutely crucial to great sales. For example, women among the earlier civilizations realized that perfumes and even jewelry were highly in demand as they created a whole new image in their social life. So they would sell all of these things and make their own income. 

In the world today, we continue to use trading or in other words “financial negotiations”, similar to the previously mentioned ancient Greek civilization. Sales on the corporate level are extremely comparable to the trading that happened many centuries ago. Corporate salesman think of great and creative ideas, present offers and promotions to a number of possible clients or buyers, and then don’t stop pitching their offers until they find a successful transaction taking place right in front of their eyes. Recently, as a response to the multiple stock market crashes, the thousands of foreclosures, and the numerous businesses that have folded under pressure, the sales and business world as a whole has been flipped upside down. Specifically, in the United States, the past decade has been mentioned by multiple politicians as “the closest thing to the next Great depression”. General Motors, one of the most enormous global sales vehicle organizations, shocked the world as they announced bankruptcy in 2009. Businesses all throughout Europe, with the main exception of Germany, took drastic hits and falls as both inflation and deflation made selling a whole new game. When it all comes down to it though, in both the ancient past and the recent past, selling is always going to be imperative as people find value for others and offer it to them for a price which in turn makes them a living. 

Sources:

“Corporate Finance”. Interview with Logan Kelly. 30 November 2014.

Fasulo, David F. "Life as a Tradesman or Merchant in Ancient Greece." EBSCOhost (2011): 1. EBSCOhost. Web. <http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/articles/51202102/life-as-tradesman-merchant-ancient-greece>.