How to Give Your Guests an Unexpected Surprise at Your Event

Guest Post by Joanna Hillier | Conference and Events Sales Manager at Ovolo Hotels

There’s no better way to leave a lasting impression at your event than to give your guests one helluva surprise.

Creating unexpected experiences and interactions throughout your event – whether big or little – can help create those lasting impressions that turn into memories, learnings, and referrals.

Gone are the days of formal greetings and handshakes – we want our clients, and their guests, to feel they have found a second (more luxurious and fun) home when they visit our venues. We do this by providing unexpected surprises almost everywhere we can!

We help our clients create those special touches that we know can really make their guests feel the love.

Here are a few ideas of ours you might like to adapt when planning your next event…

Avoid Death by Day Delegate Package

We all know that a mint is a mint and a lollie is a lollie… It’s fun for a day, but then it loses its shine. Why not surprise your guests each day with a rotation of table centre treats? Even better if you can change them each day in line with the program; it helps guests connect to the subject matter and have a take away reminder. Think less Mentos and notepads and more Beroccas (perfect for after an awards dinner) and fidget spinners to keep those minds refreshed and active!

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Personalised room surprises that really POP!

Getting a large group in one place for an overnight stay is a mammoth task, so be sure to make the most of this time away from the office and day to day distractions with a personalised in-room experience. At Ovolo Woolloomooloo we are a big fan of a ‘Pop’ balloon and treasure trail to an in-room surprise.

We had one client who provided each guest with a different book they thought they would enjoy and we left it on the bedside table with a handwritten note from the organiser. A simple, but effective way to say we want to treat you well and we want you to relax while you are here.

Ovolo Woolloomooloo quirky touches
Images: Quirky details | Signage at Ovolo Lo Lounge repost @ovolowoolloomooloo (left) + Balloon Surprise from Pinterest (right)

Stop the clock!

Try to incorporate ‘time out’ from the never ending offsite schedules that people have come to dread. You’ve invested a lot of time and money into getting everyone out of the office, so make it count on all levels with some great team building experiences along the way.

Ovolo Woolloomooloo is ideally placed just next to the Botanic Gardens and on the harbour so there’s endless options for getting out and about once the hard work is done.

We helped one client organise a great race across the CBD ending in a treasure trail to Ovolo Woolloomooloo and room keys as the final prize… it’s an idea that can be tailored to any surprise destination or event!

You’re never too old for a birthday pin!

Have a special occasion happening within your group? Celebrate it! We always encourage clients to make a fuss over birthdays and start the day with a birthday pin. Once the initial embarrassment is over, it’s nice that the guest will be recognised all day long and be shown some extra attention.

Other guests will also enjoy being able to share the birthday doughnuts at Morning Tea or a favourite cocktail at the end of the day.

Ovolo Woolloomooloo Birthday Surprises
Images: Birthday Surprises at Ovolo Woolloomooloo | repost @life_in_the_topend (left) + respost @mel_gould (right)

Final words…

From team meetings, to gala dinners, to wedding receptions and product launches, we always want to ensure our clients (and their guests) walk away with a real feeling that they have ‘experienced’ a little bit of Ovolo’s Shiny Happy trademark style. And that attitude is what truly takes our clients by surprise.

Guest post by Joanna Hillier | Conference and Events Sales Manager at Ovolo Hotels

Since her first foray into hospitality at Walt Disney World Florida in 2009, Joanna has had a keen focus and determination to provide exceptional guest experiences. It’s her belief that events are the ultimate communicator of our Brand Values, Product ID and positioning within the market.​Having worked in the US, UK and now Australia, Joanna can be found zipping around Ovolo Woolloomooloo with a big grin on her face – she loves her job!