Dreamforce, the event of the year when the entire Salesforce community comes together, is round the corner. Dreamforce 2019 is on November 19-22, in San Francisco, CA.
The four days of Dreamforce 2019 is, as always, packed with talks, demos, parties, and other programs. The sheer size of the event and the number of sessions overwhelms everybody. Here’s what you need to know to make the most out of your Dreamforce 2019 sessions.
Learn Something New
No Dreamforce attendee walks away without new information! Dreamforce 2019 offers huge learning opportunities. Attendees have a whopping 2500 sessions to choose from. These sessions cover everything on Salesforce. What’s more, Dreamforce sessions include keynote addresses, interactive lectures, Q&A sessions, workshops, product demos, and small group discussions.
It is impossible for any attendee to attend all sessions. The distance between different session locales drains out even the most energetic attendee. Download the session list and have an action plan to attend the most number of sessions. Prioritise for around 15 sessions, based on interest, niche, and benefits on offer. An obvious priority is keynote address by global thought leaders. Tons of other interesting technical and informative sessions are also on offer.
Salesforce records most sessions and delegates may view it later. However, do not miss the Roadmap sessions. These sessions are a rare and valuable opportunity to hear directly from the product managers. These sessions are not recorded, and the content is rarely available after the sessions. Developers also get to be in the loop on upcoming releases. It spares them from the pains of custom-building something already on the way.
Get Certified
A Salesforce certificate is a badge of honour and a credible attestation of mastery in that particular niche. It makes the attendee an integral part of the Salesforce ecosystem and opens many doors.
Delegates who get certified during Dreamforce 2019 save 50% off regular certification exam prices. Salesforce has worked out the certifying examinations to be administered at the event itself.
There are a host of certifications on offer, including Administrator, Advanced Administrator, Community Cloud Consultant, CPQ Specialist, Einstein Analytics & Discovery Consultant, Field Service Lightning Consultant, Marketing Cloud Consultant, Pardot Specialist, Sales Cloud Consultant, and Service Cloud Consultant.
The pre-requisite for the certificate is as always, studying or working on myTrailhead. Signing up for a pre-conference Trailhead Bootcamp offers participants a head-start. The Bootcamp allows participants to brush up and polish their Salesforce skills. As a precursor to Dreamforce 2019, Salesforce offers eight three-day boot camps. These Bootcamps offer insights and information on everything required to pass the exam. The Bootcamps run from Saturday, November 16th, through Monday, November 18th. The Trailhead Academy at the Hilton Union Square allow participants to schedule study sessions, meet with Salesforce experts, watch videos, and do more!
The certification exams in connection with Dreamforce start on Monday, November 18th, and runs throughout the week. Simply register for the required exam. There is the option to re-try the next day.
Socialize
Dreamforce 2019 is a playground for networking. The event is the only opportunity for all stakeholders of the Salesforce ecosystem, including top managers, developers, customers, and all others, to meet up in a single hall. The conference brings the best and brightest together. Attendees get an opportunity to engage with them at a personal and even informal level.
The networking happy hours is another Don’t Miss. You will surprise yourself by the connections you end up making. Then there are the late-night parties, the best way to combine business with pleasure! Some bands that have featured in previous Dreamforce editions include U2, Metallica, Alicia keys, and Bruno Mars.
Getting to know a Salesforce MVP is as simple as introducing yourself at any of the many events on offer. Ditto for rubbing shoulders with thought leaders and industry peers. Pre-book meeting with them, to be absolute sure.
Salesforce nurtures Ohana, a deep-seated support system. Ohana, integral to Hawaiian culture, represents the idea of each family member being responsible for one another. The family may be bound by blood, adopted, or even intentional. Dreamforce 2109 allows each attendee to become a part of Salesforce Ohana.
The Power of Mobile
Who better than a tech leader to leverage the power of technology in bringing sessions closer to you. With a mobile, attendees may do live tweets of sessions, chat and exchange information with new connections, take selfies with the Trailhead gang, and more.
Download the Salesforce Events app via the Apple Store or Google Play. Discover Dreamforce activities, play Quest, and navigate around San Francisco.
With so many activities, events, meet-ups, demos, and other things to do, it is imperative to plan and prioritize your time in advance. It is a good idea to set goals and stick to it. But Dreamforce is full of surprises also. Always keep an ear out for something valuable or interesting, and be flexible. You might miss important moments by being too focused on getting to the next item on the agenda.
Finally a caveat. Taking advantage of many opportunities on offer requires stepping out of the comfort zone. Go with the flow. Accept invitations and have a good time. Return to work as a changed, enriched, and better equipped professional.
