Pitch Housing Strategy to a Numbers-First Board
Mar 16, 2025
1. Lead with ROI
Quantify impact early: Show how the strategy improves financial performance—reduced turnover, increased occupancy, stable rent rolls.
Highlight long-term gains: Emphasize cost savings, risk mitigation, and asset value growth over time.
2. Show Data-Driven Evidence
Benchmark against peers: Use industry data to show how your strategy aligns with or outperforms standards.
Use clear KPIs: Present key metrics like debt coverage ratios, net operating income, and cost per unit.
3. Frame It as Risk Management
Tie strategy to compliance: Show how it helps avoid fines, lawsuits, or failed audits.
Stress stability: Link housing stability with tenant retention and financial predictability.
4. Visualize Scenarios
Model outcomes: Provide best-, worst-, and likely-case financial projections.
Use charts over narratives: Translate complex outcomes into digestible visuals (bar graphs, heat maps, etc.).
5. Speak Their Language
Avoid jargon: Skip social impact terms if they’re not aligned with board priorities. Instead, reframe them in financial terms (e.g. "tenant stability" becomes "predictable cash flow").
Align with goals: Tie housing strategy to their strategic plan, funding goals, or investment priorities.
6. Close with a Clear Ask
Define decision points: Be precise about what you need—approval, funding, staffing.
Emphasize timing: Explain cost of inaction or missed funding windows.
