Dreamforce 2016 is less than 50 days away, and you can really feel the excitement start to build as businesses across the world prepare to make the most of it. It’s a celebration of all things Salesforce and the festive vibes are truly unique. In honor of this massive event, and to help you to make the most out of the absolute craziness that is about to hit San Francisco, I’ve gathered a few important tips and recommendations you should definitely consider before you go.
Sometimes, less is more
Dreamforce offers incredible amounts of knowledge for its attendees and it can be very tempting to try and absorb as much as you can. Something will surely stick, won’t it?Well actually, No. It won’t.If you want to come back from DF with practical and applicable knowledge, you should focus on a small selection of sessions and take time in between them to properly digest the new information. Trust me, you’ll feel the difference.
Be yourself
After a whole day of networking as an employee of a company, one might forget that the best bonds are formed between human beings rather than representatives of business entities.Parties are an important part of Dreamforce: attendees need to clear their heads a bit, loosen up and just have fun meeting new people. Let go of business matters and introduce them to the person behind the business card.There will be plenty of social lubricants around, so even if you’re more introverted, you can find a way to use these opportunities well.Dreamforce is a place to make valuable friends that can be assets in this line of work and personal connections are the best way to build good reputation.
Review your agenda with a critical eye
So you’ve scheduled a reasonable amount of sessions, spiced it up with some keynotes in between and even dedicated a couple of hours to just hang out. Great! You’re ready to go!But did you really think everything will go as planned? There are literally thousands of people that are probably making the same type of plans…In comes reality: massive lines for keynotes, bathrooms, giveaways and pretty much everything. This, along with the actual physical distance between sessions and keynotes you’re interested in, can become both time and power consuming obstacles.Try to review your plans with a critical and practical eye taking these factors into consideration. Rule of thumb: if your next keynote is about to start and you’ve just come out of a session on the other side of the compound – you’re going to have a hard time getting in.
Take care of yourself
This one is often neglected. Maybe it’s because it seems so basic and therefore is prone to be ignored when a massive stream of stimuli hits people.Simply put – you’ll be able to stay focused in a session when not you’re hungry or thirsty.Carry a bottle of water, eat balanced meals, and avoid food that might make you feel heavy and tired. Lunch is usually provided at Dreamforce and there are tons of free foods and drinks you can get if you’ll just look around. Sometimes food might even find you rather than the other way around! Make sure you use these treats to their full potential.
