Create Your Admin Game Plan For Dreamforce

With just over 30 days till Dreamforce, it’s probably very easy to think “I’ll just find some sessions when I show up.” That’s one approach you could take. You could also print off every session, stick it to the wall and throw darts at them to determine your schedule. And while both are viable approaches I can’t really recommend either one will set you up for success at Dreamforce. So let’s take a more deliberate approach.

Prior to going to any big conference, especially one like Dreamforce it’s important to have a plan and know your objectives. I promise you once you get on site there will be so much to see and do that prioritization becomes key. But what should we as Admin Trailblazers be doing now in October when Dreamforce is so far away?

Let’s look at these 5 steps we should do right now to be successful at Dreamforce and bank our ROI.

1. Take a personal inventory of your skills.

What do you know really well? And what would you like to know? You can start building this list by looking at the modules, trails, and projects you have completed on Trailhead. Maybe process automation is your jam, and you know Process Builder like the back of your hand. But you would like to know Flow better. Trailhead also makes discovering new skills, products, or features super easy. Scroll through the list of trails to see which products or features you would like to learn about.

Now that you have your list started, give yourself a head start by completing those modules or trails on Trailhead. For example, if one of your objectives at Dreamforce is to know Flow better then this trailmix by Gillian Bruce is an awesome way to get a lot of information now. That way you can dive even deeper into understanding Flow when you are at Dreamforce.

2. Meet with your Stakeholders.

As part of our Essential Habits for New Admins series, I recommend meeting with your stakeholders once a month to discuss features, functionality, and changes. Prior to Dreamforce, these meetings become even more important! This is our chance to meet with stakeholders to find out what is on their roadmap and wishlist for Salesforce functionality.

What should you discuss in these meetings? First, find out what your stakeholder’s goals are — will they be adding more people? This could mean more user training for you. Are they looking to implement a new feature in Salesforce like communities, service cloud, or Einstein? These would be key topics for you look for sessions on so that you come back with great information to set you up for success.

3. Write down your personal goals.

It’s easy as a Salesforce administrator to go to Dreamforce to get all this knowledge to bring back to your organization. But what knowledge or accomplishments do you have?

Every day of Dreamforce brings opportunities to volunteer and make a difference in the lives of people who need it. Through our commitment to equality, we’ve lent our support to organizations like (RED); Room to Read; Girls Who Code; Vetforce; Talk, Read, Sing; and so many more.

4. Plan your fun time!

Ok, I will be the first to admit it: the first Dreamforce I went to I RSVP’d for EVERY single party, partner event, happy hour, you name it. Put my name on all the list-woohoo! And wow that caused a massive overload on me when I showed up. I had so many things on my calendar that it was hard to know which one I most wanted to go to.

Because you have the time now, start thinking about the fun items and put them on your calendar now. Dreamforce can be like a big family reunion, so if you want to take time to have dinner with your Ohana, send out those invites now. Block time to walk the expo or visit the Admin Meadow. And most importantly, book some quiet time to refresh yourself. 30 minutes in your hotel room with a cold bottle of water and cookies can do wonders—trust me.

5. Get ahead with Trailhead.

If you have not set up your Trailhead profile take the time to sign in and do it now. Trailhead is the fun way to learn Salesforce and it’s free! Get ready for Dreamforce with this trail.

In addition to learning more about Dreamforce on Trailhead, let’s go back to #1 & #2 in this post. Take a moment to give yourself a head start by completing modules or trails on Trailhead that relate to those products and features. For example, if one of our objectives at Dreamforce was to know Einstein better than this module is an awesome way to get a skilled up quickly. That way you can dive even deeper into understanding Einstein when you are at Dreamforce.

For more resources and info about Dreamforce for Admins check our resource page!