Eating together as a family can have a powerful impact on the health and development of children. Studies show that eating at least one meal a day together encourages lifelong healthy eating habits, improves kids' nutrition and reduces at-risk behaviors. It also helps make families more cohesive. A food industry trade group approached MMS Education with an idea about hosting a conference to promote the idea of family meals, but they didn't know where to begin.
MMS Education set the table for a successful conference, working with the trade group to stage a two-day event aimed at increasing awareness of the benefits of family meals. We developed direct mail materials, worked with the client to identify the target audience and consulted experts in the fields of nutrition and family dynamics to create and implement the content of the program.
Behind the scenes, MMS Education also took care of all the logistics. We secured locations for the conference, handled the online registration of participants and booked lodging and transportation for the panelists. We also arranged for tasty and nutritious food service at the conference and ensured that all the audio/visual components were in place.
On the menu was a lineup of nationally recognized experts who spoke on a variety of topics related to the theme of family meals. Participants heard presentations, engaged in panel discussions and examined case studies. They left with a cookbook full of practical tools and techniques covering family engagement, time management and meal planning and preparation.
MMS Education helped the trade group connect with their customers in an innovative way. In a follow-up survey, 77 percent of those who attended said the conference exceeded their expectations, while the remaining 23 percent said that the conference fully met their expectations. At MMS Education, understanding the market is just one ingredient in our recipe for success.