The new buyer-side advisory practice will support destinations and venues across bidding, business development, stakeholder engagement and legacy planning, according to CEO Steen Jakobsen (left) and partner of association advisory Thomas Reiser (right).
GainingEdge has launched a dedicated Association (Buyer-Side) Advisory Practice, a new consulting service designed to help destinations and venues better engage with, win and support international association business.
The new consulting service comes as the association meetings sector grows more complex, with organisations navigating tighter budgets, shifting member expectations, geopolitical uncertainty and increasing pressure to demonstrate event impact and legacy.
Drawing on first-hand association leadership experience, the practice aims to help convention bureaux and venues strengthen their positioning, sharpen bidding and business development strategies, enhance client experiences and maximise the long-term value of the events they secure.
“Adding Association (Buyer-Side) Advisory as a dedicated service pillar is an exciting and important development for GainingEdge,” said Steen Jakobsen, CEO of GainingEdge.
“It complements our established destination and venue advisory services and strengthens our ability to support clients across the entire association business journey. We are very excited to bring this distinctive buyer-side perspective to the industry and help destinations and venues become more relevant, competitive and valuable partners to associations.”
Buyer-side expertise
The practice will be led by Thomas Reiser, partner, association advisory at GainingEdge, who brings more than 25 years of experience leading international associations and organising global congresses.
“Having spent more than 25 years leading international associations, I have been closely involved in the internal conversations and decision-making processes that determine whether a destination or venue is selected,” said Reiser.
“I have seen first-hand what association staff and boards discuss, what genuinely matters to them and what ultimately makes a bid succeed or fail. This new practice allows us to turn that experience into practical support and a competitive advantage for destinations and venues.”
The new advisory service will support destinations and venues across the association business journey, from sharpening their positioning, business development and bidding strategies to strengthening their capabilities, client experience and stakeholder engagement.
It will also provide guidance on areas such as association decision-making, ambassador programmes, client advisory boards, community engagement, legacy and impact, and the development of long-term partnerships with international associations.
The services can be delivered as standalone assignments or tailored to complement GainingEdge’s broader strategy, business development, representation, and operational advisory work.
According to the company, the practice is intended for convention bureaux and venues at all stages of development, from organisations with mature association strategies to those looking to build their capabilities in the sector.