2015 will be Michelle's 7th and Allison's 6th Dreamforce! And like the circle of life, we get to see the Foo Fighters again this year, just as we did our first time back in 2008.
We have some tips for first-timers, including the 5 PatronTech employees who are attending their first Dreamforce this year (out of a total of 16 of us this year!).
1. Wear comfortable shoes.
Yes, this is the #1 thing on everyone's Dreamforce tips list -- but that's because omg it's really really true. You are going to walk a LOT. (At DF14, MP averaged 14,239 steps per day, according to her Fitbit data.)
2. Don't carry your laptop.
This is related to #1! You're walking a lot. Do you really need your laptop? Especially if you have anything that weighs more than, like, an iPad, the answer is probably no. Take notes on your phone, your tablet, even (gasp) on paper, but spare yourself the extra weight.
3. But definitely do take notes!
And share them! We usually use Google Docs for the sharing part, but we all have different note-taking methods and apps.
4. Divide and conquer
If you're there with coworkers, you don't have to go to every session that looks interesting. Split up, take notes, and reconnect later! We'd even go so far as to say that you should never be in the same session as anyone you work with closely -- with xx000 sessions this year, there's just too much to take in.
5. But don't miss the real don't-miss sessions
Okay, fine, we're lying. There are at least a few times next week we'll both be in the same room as each other: True to the Core and the Admin Keynote, plus the three sessions presented by... well, us! (And other PatronTech people):
- Combine Both Clicks and Code to Build Customizable Mobile Apps, Michelle & Dave (Tues 9/15, 9:00 AM)
- They Didn't Teach this in ADM-201: The #AwesomeAdmin As #SuperServiceRep, Rachel (Wed 9/16, 11:00 AM)
- The Invisible Admin: Tricking Users into Adopting Salesforce, Allison (Thurs 9/17, 9:00 AM)
6. Have an exit strategy
If you're attending a session but you're not totally sure how useful/appropriate it will be… just find a seat on an aisle near the back. There's nothing wrong with ducking out early if it's not a good fit -- just make it easy/unobtrusive, and choose an appropriate moment.
7. Prioritize and bookmark
Unless you can teleport, you absolutely will not be able to have a completely full schedule every day. That is more than okay. Just prioritize as best you can -- and carry around some notes about your second and third choices so you can change your mind on the fly as needed (like when you realize just how far the Palace Hotel is from the third floor of Moscone West).
8. Know when to quit
At some point during the week, the right choice will be to totally skip the next thing on your schedule and flop down in a beanbag instead (or get a coffee, or have an interesting conversation with a stranger). Find that point! Seize that moment! Most of the slide decks from sessions get posted online anyway.
9. Talk to strangers!
Everyone's at DF for basically the same reason, at the core -- we're all nerding out about Salesforce in SOME way. Don't think of it as networking, if networking feels weird and high-pressure -- just think of it as making friends. Nerdy, nerdy friends.
10. Talk to vendors!
Yes, you'll end up getting a bunch of emails you might not want (because what every vendor wants, above all, is to scan your badge and be able to follow up with you later). But there are tons of cool things going on in the expo hall, and lots of great people working for great companies that have great apps... so check it out, wander around, you might discover something really useful for yourself or your company.
11. Collect fun swag...
12. But not ALL the swag.
We don't quite want to say "take it easy with the swag" exactly, because we've certainly been there, but do keep in mind that every object you collect becomes a thing you have to carry around for the rest of the day/night, and then take home somehow. (Related: there's a Fedex in the lobby of the Hilton hotel. We've shipped home backpacks and shirts and hoodies and stress balls and one time a giant Saasy doll that Alli won in a trivia contest.)
13. Carry your phone/device charger at all times
And seriously consider investing in a rechargeable battery. MP bought this one at DF13 and it's been a lifesaver ever since.
14. If you see food, take food.
Even if you're not hungry. There will be something like 100,000 people at this conference -- by the time you decide you're hungry, the food will be gone.
15. Spend some time in one of the "zones" that has nothing obvious to do with your job.
If you're more of an Admin, check out the DevZone (because being a Developer on Salesforce is really just a tiny step away from Admin-ing anyway!). If you're a developer, go meet all the amazing people in the Admin Zone. If you're not either of those things... really, try to spend a little bit of time in ALL the zones. They're full of good ideas.
16. Choose your Keynotes wisely
First of all, there are like 10 different "keynotes" at Dreamforce -- you don't have to go to all of them. Figure out which products most closely align with your job, and go to those. Also -- consider watching the main "Benioff and Friends" keynote hoopla from one of alternate viewing stations (especially ones outside), rather than losing several hours standing in a line to get in...
17. Stick it out
It's usually not worth it to go back to your hotel during the day, no matter how far or near it is -- but there are plenty of good spots to take breaks "on campus" (we mentioned beanbags before -- there are lots!).
18. Register early
Go check in and get your badge as soon as you possibly can. Registration will be open in various locations on Monday this year. Registration CAN move quickly, but the lines get longer the more you wait. (Also, try going to one of the "satellite" locations instead of Moscone -- we're big fans of the Hilton…)
19. Have a plan, an agenda, a goal!
Before you go, spend some time -- on your own or with your team -- defining some goals, things you're looking to get out of the conference. Do you want to learn more about a new feature? Are you looking for a solution to a particular problem? The better you can figure out that stuff in advance, the less overwhelming the whole admittedly-overwhelming experience will feel. (Also , we're sure you'll be hearing a lot about Trailhead during the conference -- if you haven't checked out Trailhead yet, the Dreamforce module is a great place to start.)
20. Stay flexible!
But also -- part of the fun is that you'll end up discovering something completely new that you had no idea even existed. Don't overengineer your experience in advance -- leave a little room for serendipity and/or riding on a mechanical surfboard and/or winning an ACTUAL surfboard.
21. Have fun!
And we'll see you there!