Dreamforce is the world’s largest software conference in the world, organized by Salesforce. Whether you are a veteran visitor or attending for the first time, it is so easy to be overwhelmed by the 3200+ sessions spread across four days. We believe that you can never be prepared enough to get the most out of this humongous learning opportunity. Here’s a bird’s eye view of the schedule from November 6-9.
So we asked our Salesforce experts who have been attending and/or presenting at the event since 2014 to come up with a list of tips and hacks to help you plan your way around. Take a peek!
Read: DreamForce 2017: Top 10 Sessions You Cannot Afford to Miss
What to wear:
Most days begin pretty early in the morning, and go through the night. So wearing comfortable clothing is as important as being dressed to impress. Sticking to formal attire can boost your confidence, and you never know who you would run into at the event. You don’t want to meet a prospective client (or employer!) in casual clothing! That said, the typical attire at DF is usually business casuals with really comfortable footwear since there is all that running around to do.
Also, there is bound to be a lot of walking and running around, so remember to wear footwear that can handle the excitement!
What to carry:
Again, lots of walking around, so take minimal carry-ons. Laptops may seem like a small load, but lugging them around the whole day can be a pain. Go for tablets/ipads/ netbooks whenever possible, and don’t forget their chargers either. You might need a good power bank as well. With all these smart gadgets at your disposal, you may tend to forget the good old notepad and pen, but you never know when these gadgets just decide to die on you. So carry a small notepad and a few pens/pencils as well. Cards/brochures and other small souvenirs which you want to give away are best kept in small bundles.
What to prepare for:
Prospects. Opportunities. Possibilities. The event is a highly popular one among global techies, and organizations from around the world will be participating this year as well. Be ready to literally *talk* to your global audience. Brush up on your soft skills, maybe even practice in front of the mirror. Ensure you know everything there is to know about your company/product/service. Make sure to practise your elevator pitch to perfection. Get ready to hand out the business card at every opportunity.
What to expect:
Not everything may go as planned. Running from session to session may not be as easy, especially when you factor in logistics, the crowd, technical glitches and other unexpected hiccups. Plan for sessions with at least 30-45 minutes gap, especially if the sessions are at different venues across different buildings.
What not to forget:
You definitely need to plan ahead for everything. Sessions you want to attend maybe spread across a pretty vast geographical area, and navigating can be nightmare when you’re in a new place. Thanks to technology, traveling to such a big event is not a hassle anymore. With apps readily available for everything, your trip to Dreamforce will be pretty easy to plan with the help of mobile applications like Uber, Lyft, Google Maps, Evernote, etc. Read more about the apps you may need for Dreamforce here. Or you can even connect with the Salesforce Community to get more ideas.
Here’s more!
Parties! Dreamforce is not all formal and geeky. There is a lot of fun, food, and festivities you can enjoy at the event too! So pack up some party wear along with your dancing shoes (and maybe some hangover cure too! 😉 ) This is your chance to network, and also to relax after the formal networking and have fun after a long day at the fest. Balance is definitely key here! You certainly don’t want to miss the concert by Alicia Keys and Lenny Kravitz at 7 PM on November 7.
Dreamforce 2017 is bound to be a memorable experience. Make the best of it. And if you have any more tips to share, do let us know.