If you’re new to using Salesforce or a veteran of the platform, I highly encourage you to consider attending Dreamforce this year. Dreamforce is a four day convention (October 4 – 7, 2016) in San Francisco that allows you to learn lots of new concepts and ideas, network with thousands of like minded individuals, and enhance your Salesforce career. Even better, if you’re associated with a nonprofit, college, or university you can register for Dreamforce at a deeply discounted rate!
Dreamforce is not like any other convention you may have attended in the past. There are not only hundreds of sessions to choose from to learn more about Salesforce products and uses, but also numerous parties and a concert that has included performers like Bruno Mars and Foo Fighters in the past. While education and career development should be your top goals, don’t forget about the power of networking and meeting lots of Salesforce enthusiasts just like you. You may find a new career opportunity or your new best friend while networking at one of the many social gatherings throughout the conference.
While at Dreamforce, you’ll also have the opportunity to choose from a myriad of hands-on training sessions to enhance your current skill set or build a new one. You’ll find hands-on training for Sales and Service Cloud as well as Marketing Cloud, Communities, and more. There are also sessions focused specifically on nonprofit topics such as fundraising, program management, volunteer management, etc. Typically, you’ll hear about current nonprofit clients and how they use Salesforce, which should empower you with many ideas to take back to your organization.
Additionally, there are dozens of keynotes available during Dreamforce, where you can hear directly from Salesforce executives like Marc Benioff, Chairman and CEO. These keynotes are not only incredibly inspirational, but also allow you to learn of new product developments, as well as the vision for Salesforce’s growth in the future. You’ll also want to take advantage of the Cloud Expo, as there are hundreds of vendors providing demonstrations (and giveaways!) of Salesforce applications or services. You may find ideas for new tools or solutions you’d never thought of before.
You can obtain your Salesforce certifications at Dreamforce. If you are considering getting your Administrator, Developer, or other certifications, consider attending a training course and taking your exam at Dreamforce. Nonprofits will usually receive a discounted rate for these training courses and exams, too.
Finally, don’t forget to check out the Foundation Zone which is where you will find Cloud for Good and dozens of other nonprofit specific partners and products. In the Foundation Zone, you can meet with other like-minded individuals from nonprofits or higher education institutions, hear about Salesforce nonprofit customer success stories, meet with partners, like Cloud for Good, and find ways to enhance your Salesforce usage at your organization. The Foundation Zone should be your home away from home while in San Francisco this October.
Dreamforce has become the world’s largest technology conference and you won’t want to miss it! Registration is now open and as a nonprofit or higher education staff member, you can register with a discounted rate of $400 when entering the discount code D16NP400FS. Register today!
Here are a few other blog posts about Dreamforce in past years:
