So You Said “Yes” to ND Country Fest. What Happens Next?

"You’ve made the call. You’ve decided that ND Country Fest is the right place for your brand to show up big.”

Overview

This guide provides a comprehensive, step-by-step roadmap for brands that have secured a sponsorship with ND Country Fest. It details how to transition from a confirmed sponsorship to a successful on-site activation, ensuring a memorable experience for both your team and your customers. The process covers goal setting, team collaboration, activation design, asset creation, staffing, logistics, digital integration, real-time measurement, and post-event analysis.

1. Lock In Your Goals Before Anything Else

• What does success look like for you?

  • Brand awareness: "We want people to see us everywhere."

  • Product trial or sampling: "We want fans to taste, try, or experience our product."

  • Lead capture or recruitment: "We want signups, scans, applicants, or conversations."

  • VIP hospitality: "We want to host customers, prospects, or employees."

• Turn goals into simple KPIs:

  • X leads or scans

  • X samples given

  • X VIP guests hosted

  • X redemptions on a festival-only offer

• Share goals early to build everything around them.

2. Meet Your ND Country Fest Partnerships Team

• You'll be connected with your ND Country Fest partnerships contact.

• Review your package details:

  • Branding appearance (stages, screens, banners, zones)

  • Activation space and location

  • Naming rights or stage mentions

  • Hospitality assets (VIP club suites, casitas, cabanas)

• Key dates and deadlines:

  • Creative and logo due dates

  • Load-in / load-out windows

  • Meetings and check-ins

• Goal: Know exactly what you bought, where it shows up, and how you’re supported.

3. Design Your On-Site Activation

• "If a fan walks into our space, what do we want them to do, feel, and remember?"

• Effective activation ideas:

  • Sampling stations (beverage, food, CPG, health & wellness)

  • Product demo or “try it” zones (vehicles, gear, tech, tools)

  • Photo or content moments (backdrops, props, branded photo ops)

  • Contests and giveaways (spin-to-win, QR-entry, instant-win promos)

  • Recruitment or info hubs (for employers, schools, services)

• Match activation to goals:

  • Awareness → bold visuals + great photo moments + stage visibility

  • Leads → QR codes, forms, and simple incentives

  • Trial → easy, efficient sampling and clear branding

• We help with placement, flow, and what feels natural in a country festival environment.

4. Build Your Creative & Assets

• Brand & Festival Assets (for ND Country Fest to place):

  • High-res logos (correct formats, variations)

  • Brand guidelines (colors, fonts, usage notes)

  • Placement on stages, screens, banners, entrance points, maps, booklets, app/website.

• Your On-Site Pieces (what you provide):

  • Tent/booth or structure design

  • Flags, feather banners, tablecloths, backdrops

  • Clear, simple signage with: Who you are, what you’re offering, how to take the next step.

• Generate trackable QR codes and URLs for measurement.

5. Plan Your Team & Staffing

• Who’s on-site? Brand ambassadors, sales reps, recruiters, account managers/hosts.

• What do they need to know?

  • Key talking points about your brand

  • Why you partnered with ND Country Fest

  • How to talk about your offer/call-to-action

  • How to capture a lead or log interactions

• How will you schedule them? Coverage, breaks, rotation for high energy.

• Pre-event huddle or training ensures alignment and confidence.

6. Dial In the Logistics

• Confirm load-in and load-out:

  • Arrival time, parking, unloading, access to space.

• On-site needs:

  • Power and equipment (provider responsibility)

  • Storage needs

  • Special requirements

• Access & credentials:

  • Wristbands/badges for staff

  • Hospitality access levels for VIPs/clients

• Operations and partnerships teams ensure a smooth presence.

7. Connect Your Digital & On-Site Worlds

• Tie on-the-ground experience to your digital ecosystem.

• On-site integration:

  • QR codes to special offers or landing pages

  • Visible social handles and hashtags

  • App integrations or push notifications (if applicable)

• Off-site engagement:

  • Pre-event: Announce your presence and activities.

  • During: Live stories, posts, and content from activation/VIP areas.

  • Post-event: Highlights, thank-yous, and proof-of-performance.

8. Measure in Real Time

• Give your on-site team a simple scorecard:

  • Number of leads/scans, samples/trials, contest entries, VIPs hosted, key conversations.

  • Notes on common questions, fan feedback, improvement ideas.

• Collect photos and video:

  • Activation full of people

  • Logo on stages, screens, signage

  • VIP experiences and hospitality moments

• This content fuels internal recaps, social proof, and renewal discussions.

9. Participate in the Post-Event Recap

• Review with ND Country Fest after the event:

  • Audience and attendance highlights

  • On-site and digital visibility metrics

  • Engagement stats (clicks, scans, participants)

• Compare to original goals:

  • Did we hit or exceed KPIs?

  • What surprised you?

  • What to double down on or adjust for next year?

• Create a one-page win story for leadership: "Here’s what we set out to do, here’s what happened, and here’s why this partnership is worth building on.”

10. Think Beyond One Weekend

• Best sponsorships become partnerships.

• Consider multi-year engagement:

  • Year-round presence (booklet, digital, app, ongoing content)

  • Multi-year deals for better placement, naming, continuity

  • New ways to show up (different zones, after parties, shuttle naming, additional activations)

• ND Country Fest is a growing community and tradition; returning brands become part of it.

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