You have registered for Dreamforce 2017, but now what?  How are you going to survive the crowds and make the most out of this year’s event?  Fear not, as this week I am going to cover off seven tips to surviving Dreamforce 2017!

Now I don’t even know if I can attend this year’s conference yet however I have been very fortunate to attend the last two (Dreamforce 2016 & 2015)!  I learned so much about new Salesforce use cases and was inspired about how other end-users and partners are making the most out of the platform.  Being able to immerse yourself in all things Salesforce for four days straight (I am a geek and I proudly say I loved every minute of it!) it really helps you learn & focus on all things Salesforce.

7 tips for surviving Dreamforce 2017!

1. Be sensible

You will be walking around so much!  Make sure you are in comfortable clothing and footwear!  Remember to pack light so you don’t carry everything around with you and time when you go to the Expo Hall to pick up your swag, so that way you don’t have to carry it around with you all day!

2. Be prepared

The biggest tip I can give a newbie to Dreamforce is you need to prepare…  Even with pre-planning my first year and hearing from others who had attended the year before me – I was still blown away at the sheer scale of the event.  With such a massive event, preparing and planning counts for so much!

Find out what sessions are available, and if you need to enrol.  Not all sessions require you to enrol, but the more popular ones definitely do and it is worth it.  This allows the session to have a priority order to busy sessions, although remember this still isn’t a guarantee so get to the key sessions early.

3. Be patient

With so many people swarming around downtown San Francisco, all looking to learn as much as they can about Salesforce, it can get a little frustrating at times navigating the crowds.  Remember to be patient, everyone is there is get the most out of the experience too.  Try to get to sessions early, and be prepared to be waiting in line.

4. Be approachable

To help pass the time when in a line, strike up a conversation with those around you.  Personally, I found some of the most interesting conversations at the conference by doing this.  And you can be easily learn so much from challenges or use cases you might both share.  Remember you are both in line for the same session, use that as a conversation starter!

Not everyone can just strike up a conversation out of thin air.  That is ok.  There are plenty of social functions being planned too by Salesforce and third-party vendors.  But remember this is such a big event, you don’t get a chance to network with this many Salesforce professionals every day!

5. Be noteworthy

Take lots and lots of notes!

Remember to set out in the morning with an iPad/phone (and remember battery back!!).  Alternatively go old-school with notepad & pen (no battery!) to keep track of everything you learn.

Personally I like to combine taking pictures of the slides with my own notes in an app like OneNote.  And finally make sure you carry water around with you, some of the rooms can get quite warm!

6. Get hands on

In Moscone Center, there is an opportunity to get hands on.  Coding Drop-in Clinics, Admin Reviews, Lightning UX consultations…  If it was something to do with Salesforce, there was a session to learn about it!  The Trailhead theme last year was brilliant and there was so much going on at the different ‘base camps’ and ‘ranger stations’, you could easily spend a day or two just in these halls!

Go to the Expo Hall, learn about the AppExchange and new tools you might be able to use in your org.  This is also where you are likely to get the most of your swag! 🙂

7. Finally… Get dance-y!

Finally there is also some fun to be had!

Last year U2 were the headline act for the Dreamfest concert, but I was also lucky enough to get into the Pardot B2B Marketing evening, which featured Flo Rida in concert (was so much fun).

Though you do have to remember to balance it out.  You are there primarily to learn, network and bring back innovative use cases and solutions 🙂

Got any tips of your own?

Please share in the comments section below!  And hopefully see you at Dreamforce 2017! *fingers crossed*

Remember there is a Trailhead module now for helping you get the most out of Dreamforce, and if you haven’t registered yet, head on over to the Dreamforce site to buy your tickets.