A Force to Reckon With

Next week I am heading to Cloudforce DC with fellow MVP and friend, Amber Neill. We’re taking the train (go green!) and of course made sure we’re on one with wi-fi available. Why are we taking the time to attend a one day event in our nation’s capital? And why would our employers encourage us?

1- Community. I know I say this a lot, but there is nothing better than the community spirit with Salesforce users. When you’re like me and the only person who understands the nuts and bolts of Salesforce in the office, the opportunity to talk shop with others is always welcome and beneficial.

2- Knowledge. I knew before they posted the sessions that I would be able to leave DC with new knowledge about Salesforce. Now that they have posted the sessions, my problem is trying to decide which to attend! Salesforce is committed to sharing the knowledge needed to utilize their systems. They want you to push the limits and find new ways to make the platform work for you to improve your business. In terms of coloring in the lines definition of thinking, Salesforce draws some dotted lines for you to get you started, then offers an eraser and cheers you on to move those lines wherever you want on the page.

3- Inspiration. I love hearing Marc Benioff speak. He is always inspiring and renews my spirit and enthusiasm for working on the platform. He will not be speaking at Cloudforce DC, that will be Vivek Kundra, EVP of Emerging Markets at Salesforce.com and former CIO of the United States. I’d looked forward to hearing him speak at Dreamforce last year but he was unable to attend. I’m certain it will be a great keynote, long as he refrains from #nextslide we’ll be tickled I think!

4- Connections. I get a ton of, well, spam emails pushing this product or that service for our Salesforce org. The Expo at a Cloudforce is a great way to connect with potential partners and vendors, get a face to face meeting with them to discuss their product and see if it will be a possible fit for your instance. It is also beneficial to hit the official Salesforce areas to see how you could expand your use of Salesforce, see a feature you may be considering turning on, or get ideas on how others use the platform.

5- Happy Hour. After a long day where you’ve learned a lot, a last opportunity to share what you’ve learned or just hang out with some interesting people is always welcome. Come join us at #CloudforceDCHH to wind down before heading home or back to your hotel!

I can’t wait to attend Cloudforce DC and hope you’ll be joining us! Cloudforce is free, so especially if you’re in the area, come on over and check it out!