How did Marina Filichkina become a successful manager in the sale of foreign real estate?

Marina Filichkina's career at Tranio Company

Marina Filichkina is an important expert on the sales team of the company "Tranio," which was founded just three years ago. She currently oversees areas related to the real estate markets of the UK and Switzerland, as well as ensuring a high level of service for key clients. In an interview, Marina shared her thoughts on what a qualified manager for selling foreignreal estate should look like and described the qualities that an ideal buyer should possess. During her time at the company, she has successfully closed 55 deals, with a total value of around 27 million euros.

The path to a career in real estate

Speaking about her journey, Marina began by recounting her career before joining "Tranio." She holds a university degree in "Teaching English and German." Right after her studies, she got a job at a school in Bryansk. Alongside her teaching activities, Marina also worked at a travel agency, where she was involved in finding suitable tours and airline tickets, as well as assisting clients with visa applications.

Reasons for changing professions

When the conversation turned to the reasons for career changes, Marina noted that working at the school did not bring her joy, and interaction with students became quite difficult. Also, the travel agency did not offer her opportunities for professional growth. In 2011, having decided to change her destiny dramatically, she started actively sending out resumes, including a vacancy for a journalist at Tranio in her list of offers. In response, she received two test tasks, only one of which she was able to complete, as the high season in tourism did not allow her to devote time to additional tasks.

Joining the "Tranio" team

Shortly after returning from vacation in August, Marina discovered an invitation from "Tranio" for the position of assistant manager. She had only one night to think it over. Nevertheless, she decided to take the risk and thus became part of the "Tranio" team.

Initial stages of work

In the early stages of her work at this company, Marina was a remote part-time employee. Her main responsibilities included gathering and analyzing information, as well as completing various small tasks assigned by Georgy Kachmazov, the company's CEO. For almost five months, she had to juggle three roles: teacher, travel agent, and assistant. This new activity was particularly exciting for her due to the dynamic growth of the company and the inspiring atmosphere.

Career advancement

After six months, Marina's achievements were noticed, and Georgy offered her the opportunity to work with clients interested in purchasing foreignreal estate. This opening allowed her to significantly expand her professional horizons and participate in interesting and large-scale projects. Thus, the transition from supporting a manager to managing sales became a logical step in her career. Marina's confidence in her abilities and her desire for growth led to new opportunities and enabled her to apply her knowledge in practice, which is extremely important in the real estate sector.

Results of working in real estate

Thus, she achieved significant results that cannot be overlooked in the context of a successful career in this field.

The beginning of my journey

The moment I decided to leave the travel agency, I started my career at the Bryansk branch of Tranio, while continuing to devote a few hours a week to working in an educational institution. So how was my start in my new position?

Since the beginning of 2012, there were relatively few employees in the "Tranio" offices: only six specialists, three in the Moscow department and three in the Bryansk department (not counting remote workers). We did not have a full-fledged sales department, and our work with clients was conducted in a somewhat unconventional manner. Our website accepted requests, which were automatically forwarded to our foreign partners, and I was responsible for monitoring their activities.

Changes in the company

Now everything has changed drastically — the work of the company "Tranio" has taken on a completely different character. Who was the source of these changes? It was us: together we came to understand the importance of revising our methods of interaction with clients, providing them with individual support, assisting in establishing contacts with partners, and carefully monitoring the quality of the services provided.

As a result, we developed a concept for an international broker specializing in the sale of foreignreal estate. One of the innovations in our approach was the creation of interaction scenarios with clients. Initially, we developed these scenarios improvisationally, and then we analyzed the clients' reactions to our work.

The results turned out to be quite impressive:

• Without the implementation of standards, we completed only 30 deals in 2012.
• In 2013, by applying these standards, they reached around 100 deals.

The challenges of a new role

What were the biggest challenges in your new role? Phone discussions often posed difficulties for me: I lacked visual contact with the person I was speaking to, and I couldn't gauge their reactions.

At that time I had to communicate with people who wanted to invest serious sums in real estate, and they gave me the impression of very wealthy clients that I had not encountered before. There was no pre-designed negotiation algorithm at the time, and I often had to literally strategize on the fly.

Moreover, I found it difficult to absorb the vast amounts of information about foreignreal estate markets. However, I was able to overcome all these challenges thanks to the support of my colleagues. I always had the opportunity to seek help, which significantly boosted my motivation.

First deal

I remember my first deal with special warmth, which took place in April 2012. My client purchased an apartment in Montenegro for 153 thousand euros with my assistance. I felt a bit anxious about the work of our Montenegrin partner, as it was our first joint transaction. Fortunately, everything went smoothly and without serious difficulties.

Memorable deals

And what transaction has left the most vivid trace in my memory? In 2012, when I had just started working in the Bryansk office, I was approached by a client who was looking for accommodation in London for his son, who was studying at university. The experience was extremely interesting, and stories like that stay in my memory for a long time.

I hope that over the years of working, I will be able to continue developing and gaining new unique experiences and insights in this field.

Searching for an apartment

After almost a year of persistent searching, I managed to find an apartment priced at around seven million euros. Since I had no experience with such large transactions, Georgy and our partner from the UK were a great help to me.

Memorable deal

Another significant transaction I am proud of was the acquisition of a luxury villa on the Côte d'Azur for a client in 2013. This property was purchased for €4.2 million. I would like to point out that thanks to the recommendation of this client, several other clients approached us through the Tranio agency after the transaction was completed.

Successes in the company

During my time at the company, I successfully closed 55 deals totaling around 27 million euros.

Career growth

As for my career growth, in 2013 I took the position of head of the sales department after moving from Bryansk to Moscow to work in the capital's office. At that time, new sales managers joined our team, as well as a specialist in international relations, and I officially became their supervisor.

Responsibility and role of the manager

Being in the role of department head was not easy. At first, I viewed my responsibilities not as a leader, but as a sales manager, adding a few new functions to my tasks. My job involved not only constant interaction with clients but also assisting managers in communicating with foreign partners, overseeing new content on the website, and much more.

Department management

Right now, my clients take up only a small part of my time, as I am focused on managing the sales department.“I’m not really fond of the title ‘manager.’ I would prefer to be a mentor that colleagues can turn to with any problem.”My employees joke that I remind them of a teacher.

A dream of London

This year, one of my cherished dreams came true — I visited London. Traveling abroad, especially to major cities like London, opens up unique opportunities not only for a deep understanding of the local economy but also for establishing connections with business partners. Moreover, such trips help build trust with potential clients. So, are these trips really beneficial for professional activities?Absolutely, yes.In addition to communicating with colleagues and studying real estate, I have the opportunity to explore different regions. Clients appreciate hearing from managers that they have personally visited the country where they wish to purchase property. This significantly increases their trust in the specialist.

Job satisfaction

What is the most satisfying thing about our profession? Previously, as a sales manager, I perceived successful deals as my main achievements. Today, however, I find joy in the success of my colleagues and realize that I have contributed to their achievements.

Qualities of an ideal employee

Speaking of the team, it's worth mentioning what the ideal specialist in the "Tranio" sales department should be like. What qualities distinguish such a person? First of all,successful sales manager in foreignreal estateOne must undoubtedly be self-confident. All doubts, fears, and insecurities are easily perceived by those around you — clients sense this on an intuitive level. However, even with confidence, a specialist should be open to advice from more experienced colleagues; this is crucial for professional growth.

Activity and communication

Like any other sales specialist, the managers in our company must be proactive. No one will monitor their actions or assist with planning. Communication with clients is a crucial part of our employees' work, so having certain psychological skills is critically important. They need to be able to recognize the character and needs of the client, persuade them, and engage in dialogue without being overly pushy if the interlocutor shows no interest.

Knowledge and experience

It is the responsibility of every specialist to be knowledgeable about all aspects of price formation, legal regulations, and current trends in the real estate market. I don't want to sound cliché, but it's important to note that a worker's past experience is not as significant as their willingness to learn and genuine interest in their profession.

Ideal client

In summarizing the ideal employee, it's also worth asking the question:What is an ideal client like?First of all, it's important for me that the client is open to communication. Even if they respond to my suggestions with criticism, like "This house doesn't suit me," it's definitely better than complete silence. It's better for them to seriously consider the options presented than to show no interest at all, even if the process takes longer.

Activity and motivation

The ideal client is an active person with high motivation. He doesn't need to know exactly what city he wants to buyreal estate in and how many bedrooms he should have. My task is to help such a client understand what will make him happy.An ideal clientFor me, it would be someone who can make a decision about purchasing real estate within a week. In my experience, I have encountered a similar situation only once.

Conclusion

In conclusion, my journey from a foreign language teacher and travel agent to the head of the sales department at "Tranio" has not only been a personal success but also a vivid example of how changing fields can open new horizons. Working in a team, I had the opportunity to witness the dynamic growth and transformation of the company, which inspired me to continue developing and improving in my profession.

The challenges I faced in the early stages taught me not to stop in the face of difficulties, but to seek solutions and support from colleagues. Every closed deal, every successful consultation with clients brought me not only satisfaction from my work but also confidence in my abilities. Looking back, I realize how important it was to overcome my fears and insecurities in order to achieve success in a new field for me.

The ideal real estate buyer

Now managing a sales team and working with large clients in countries such as the UK and Switzerland, I see what an important element understanding the needs of the buyer is. I hope that the ideal real estate buyer is:

• Not just a person ready to invest money;
• A partner who is open to communication and trust;
• After all, only collaborative interaction can lead to successful deals.

Ahead of us lie many exciting challenges and opportunities, and I eagerly anticipate what the future holds for both our team and our clients. My journey is just beginning, and I am focused on further development to continue providing value to those seeking their dream apartment abroad.