So you've finally done it. You've justified your trip to your boss and co-workers, bought your ticket to Dreamforce and maybe even received a discounted price. You’ve booked your tickets to SFO or OAK (or mapped out your friendly local directions) and are ready to hit San Francisco by storm. You are ready to be inspired by Colin Powell, Sir Richard Branson and, oh yeah, The Red Hot Chili Peppers. As you get ready to pack your bags (make sure you have extra room for the swag you will collect), here are some helpful tips to keep in mind as you gear up for the awesomeness that will be Dreamforce 2012:

1.  Have an Open Mind

It is easy to go into a situation with preconceived notions of how it will turn out and of what you can get out of it. Cliché, but true. Dreamforce is no different. Last year there were over 40,000 people. This year there will be over 750 sessions. While this can be daunting, I’ve found the best approach is to be open and receptive to new people and new ideas. Salesforce has an amazing community around it. Be ready to do your best sponge impression and absorb. And don’t be afraid to go beyond the skill levels listed in session descriptions. Challenge yourself a bit and new ideas will start flowing. 

2.  Be Prepared

• Know what sessions you want to attend. Plan out your goals for the conference and try to match your plan with the sessions offered. Start mapping now.
  • Keep in mind session locations so you don’t have to do a 100m sprint to get to your next session on time. 
  • Also, most sessions are recorded and uploaded to Youtube, so don’t kill yourself by over-extending. 
• Be able to clearly and succinctly articulate your business pain points. You will be talking to vendors, people in the same verticals, consultants, Salesforce employees, ALL of whom want to hear about what you are doing and what you are trying to do, and ALL of whom are pressed for time.  
• Carry a multi-plug / backup batteries. We are a power hungry bunch and sometimes outlets are at a premium. I have this simple multi-plug, and it is awesome.
• Carry business cards.
• Engage in Dreamforce’s Chatter Org to connect with other like-minded individuals before the big event, especially if you are new.
• As a heads up, you generally cannot grab a co-worker’s badge for them because you need to show ID. Be prepared to be there in the flesh.

3.  Don’t be Shy

Proactively engage with different people. The connections you make at Dreamforce will have an impact on how you run your business. If you are going with co-workers, try leaving them while you are on the expo floor, or during birds-of-a-feather events. To truly branch out you need to leave your comfort zone. If you are a little shy, make it a game. A former boss of mine and I went to Dreamforce together in the past, and we split apart and made a game of who could collect more business cards by the end of the day. My boss ended up with more cards than I did, but, even though I "lost," many of the connections I made turned out to be valuable. In the end, it was a beneficial exercise for both of us. A little friendly competition led to real connections.  

There are a ton of events going on during Dreamforce. Partners sponsor events, Salesforce sponsors events—it never hurts to make some connections to find out what is happening during Dreamforce. And Dreamforce is quite possibly the best place to get free consulting advice. Pick a consulting partner and ask some questions!  Don’t be shy.

4.  Have Fun (but not too much)

Dreamforce has a party atmosphere because, well, it is a party. Almost every night there are events happening, many with open bars. Keep in mind that while networking is good thing (see above) and a little social lubrication never hurts, a lot of social lubrication almost always hurts. And it is never fun sitting in hands-on sessions the next morning while hung over—hydrate appropriately.

Also, remember that you are representing your business, so make sure professionalism is still on the table. As a general rule of thumb, ask yourself, “Would I do this in front of my CEO or a client?” Go ahead and test it out: you are deciding whether or not to funnel your 8th beer with nothing on except a Chatty costume. Exactly.

5.  Follow up  

This might be the most important tip. You’ve made some key connections, been super-charged with ideas and are ready to execute changes back in the motherland. Leverage the connections you’ve made, keep the dialogue going and make sure that the creative juices keep flowing until it’s time to do it all again next year.

Andrew Gross is a Senior Consultant at Bluewolf and a Salesforce MVP. Want to connect with him? Find him on Twitter.

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