Designing Events That Connect: Angela Kisskeys, Associations North
Associations North
Angela Kisskeys approaches event design with intention. As President of Associations North, a regional association known for bold, high-impact experiences like SheMoves, Executive Edge, and Nfusion, she leads events that are as memorable for their emotional resonance as they are for their content. Each program serves a distinct audience, from women leaders to senior executives, yet all of them share a consistent design philosophy: experiences should make people feel supported, inspired, and genuinely connected.
In this conversation with Association Adviser, she shares how her team builds that emotional foundation from the first marketing touchpoint to the follow-up after the event, blending clarity, empathy, and creativity to keep members engaged year-round
Association Adviser: What’s the overall marketing strategy behind innovative events like SheMoves and Executive Edge?
Angela Kisskeys: We try to focus on marketing outcomes (the WIIFM). For example: confidence, connection, clarity, and community. Then we want to lean into how leaders want to feel—supported, inspired, seen, and equipped. We design touchpoints through these lenses. The best part is when we lean into the storytelling centered around real member experiences. There’s perceived value of an event, then there is lived experience.
AA: Associations North events are known for creating strong emotional connections. How do you intentionally design for that, knowing that more than 70% of purchase decisions are emotional?
AK: Most recently, we had an attendee post on social media: “Intentional. That is the best word to describe Associations North Executive Edge. Every part was done with intent. Creating a space of community, curiosity, interaction, learning, fun and the list goes on. Fantastic event and experience.” This is a great example of how emotions can tell the “why it matters” story in a stronger way than dates and bullet points can. We are not shy to frame our programs around the feelings we want to unlock; for example, confidence, connection.
AA: How do you ensure key emotions are carried through before, during, and after events?
AK: Pre-event messaging sets the tone and builds anticipation. Onsite, we are intentional with attendee experience from signage to music to room flow. The event is designed to reinforce the intended emotional outcome. Afterward, we follow up with key resources, moments photos, and tools that help people stay connected. We also piloted a daily digest at Executive Edge with the goal of creating community specific to this event. Each morning attendees received a digest email with key takeaways, notable quotes, photos from that day, session summaries, and an on-going challenge of sharing great ideas.
AA: You often ask attendees, “How did this event make you feel?” How has focusing on emotional outcomes shaped your event design?
AK: Those responses are gold. The word clouds reveal exactly what resonated. When we see themes like “prepared,” “supported,” or “energized,” it tells us what to emphasize and what to evolve. It helps us design future experiences with intention and speak in the language our members are already using.
AA: One of the most talked-about moments at Executive Edge was completely unplanned: the Northern Lights appearing during the event. How do you capture and leverage unplanned moments that aren’t on the agenda?
AK: It’s the moments not on the agenda that become the most memorable. The key is you have to be present to experience them. When something organic happens—like the Northern Lights—we lean into it. We capture it visually, tell the story, and weave it back into our messaging.
AA: You piloted a personalized MailChimp campaign for Executive Edge that tailored follow-up based on whether members said they were “yes,” “no,” or “maybe” about attending. What inspired this approach, and how did you design it?
AK: Our members are busy, and generic messaging gets ignored. We needed a smarter, more personal way to reach them. The campaign was built around their initial interest in Executive Edge. Based on their interest, we created follow-up correspondence. We wanted attendees to know we “get it” with short, relevant messaging tailored to their needs.
AA: That personalization strategy boosted early registrations by 40%. What do you think drove that level of response?
AK: Relevance. When emails feel personal and helpful, people respond. The feeling of community is created. We are working on not sending more emails, but better emails.
AA: You’ve talked about using a “pains to gains” framework when crafting messaging. How do you apply that approach to event promotion?
AK: We start with what’s keeping leaders up at night—the pain. Staffing challenges, board dynamics, burnout, change. Then we position our education as the pathway to relief, solutions, or renewed confidence—the gain.
For example, instead of saying, “Join CEOSync,” we’ll say, “Have you ever carried a staff challenge, a board dynamic, or a strategic decision so heavy you couldn’t say it out loud anywhere else? We had a CEO walk into CEOSync with that exact weight. They walked out with clarity, not from theory, not from Google, but from peers who had lived with the same decisions and shared what actually worked. That’s the power of a room full of people who understand your world.”
AA: You have spoken previously about a couple of frameworks that focus on clear, audience-first messaging: Smart Brevity emphasizes saying more with less, while StoryBrand helps position the audience as the hero and the organization as the guide. Your team has been incorporating these principles into your communications. How have those approaches shaped the way you write and market events?
AK: Both frameworks reinforce clarity. Or what we like to say: clear, concise, and current. We are new to these frameworks but try to invite members into a “story” where they are the hero. It keeps our messaging clean, confident, and human. We are also cognizant of words and length. Write the email once, then cut the words in half. Our team works hard at concise messaging.
AA: Many associations want to innovate but feel limited by budget, bandwidth, or risk. What advice would you give teams who want to try bolder ideas without overextending themselves?
AK: Just try. Practice. Give yourself permission to be curious. You don’t need a giant budget to innovate. Grab a data point that supports member needs, gather real feedback, and pilot. At Associations North, we also leverage empathy in our innovations, as we understand firsthand how a new idea can make a positive impact.
