In March of 2020, businesses across North America came to a standstill in the midst of widespread stay-at-home orders and unprecedented uncertainty stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. Except for a few specific industries, most businesses, both small and large, felt an immediate and deep impact to their bottom line. May Media Group, LLC, the company behind Moms Meet, KIWI magazine, and WOW Events, was no exception as we were hit with the reality that business may not go on as usual. With a business model that included tens of thousands of in-home Group Sampling meetings and live in-person events, Moms Meet had a challenging road ahead. And to be honest, in the beginning, we were pretty worried. So how did we not only survive but thrive through a global pandemic? Here are the lessons we learned along the way.

1. Do your homework

We quickly sent out a survey to our Moms Meet Mom Ambassadors—over 106,000+ health-minded moms—to see how they were feeling and to get their feedback. We learned that now, more than ever, moms wanted Moms Meet’s guidance on healthy products for their families. We also found that they wanted to still meet with their groups, feeling that their job as a Mom Ambassador was important in helping their friends get through the pandemic. 

Internally, we also listened as our team discussed and brainstormed how to pivot our business in the midst of the pandemic. Our environment allowed our employees to feel comfortable to speak up and share their ideas. One particular question or topic that came up most frequently was, “Would our Mom Ambassadors host their sampling meetings virtually?” The feedback from our moms let us know that they would absolutely meet with their groups virtually and were excited about the prospect. After a few internal discussions and receiving positive feedback from our mom audience, we knew we were onto something. 

2. Act Quickly

Once our Virtual Sampling Program idea took hold, we didn’t waste any time. An advantage to being an entrepreneurial and tight-knit team is the ability to pivot quickly without having to go through a lot of red tape or bureaucracy. Our efforts paid off and we were able to launch a brand new program within just a short few weeks of inception. Many companies have great ideas, but making them happen and executing them with great speed and excellence is a great accomplishment. Since the start of the pandemic, Moms Meet programs have delivered almost 1 million samples and over 2 billion program impressions. 

3. Never stop innovating

Although our Virtual Sampling Program was a huge success, we weren’t done yet. As a company, we don’t believe in resting on our laurels and we don’t settle for the status quo. Creativity and innovation is a priority at May Media Group, LLC, and it should be a priority at any organization. Following the heels of a successful Moms Meet Virtual Sampling Program, we launched Moms Meet Virtual Focus Groups, a completely online solution to deliver custom qualitative research. Additionally, in March of 2021, in lieu of our traditional live in-person event, we hosted the Moms Meet Virtual WOW Summit, with over 30 video sessions, 175+ million potential event impressions, and more than 1,600 health-minded moms.

We’re grateful for our community of moms and our clients who made the switch to virtual programs. Now that the weather’s getting warmer, more moms are holding in-person outdoor group meetings. We expect both virtual and in-person meetings to become the norm for Moms Meet going forward.

Interested in learning more about our product sampling opportunities? Email us at advertise@maymediagroup.com.

Ask about our:

• Virtual or Hybrid (in-person and virtual) Group Sampling programs
• Virtual Focus Group
• Virtual Events: The Moms Meet Virtual WOW Summit and KIWI’s Beyond the Lunchbox Digital Conference