♪ All I want for Dreamforce is you ♪

I honestly didn’t think I would be able to find the time to write this post. I spent most of the week trying to just think of a topic. And then I had a lightbulb moment when I realized that part of what made my week so crazy would make an excellent blog post. And we’re off to the races once again…

I attended by first Dreamforce in 2007. A year later, I was being asked to present. And with each year, that responsibly has grown. A session here, two sessions there, five sessions here. I am so grateful to have the chance to share what I’ve learned, meet other presenters, and share ideas with other customers. I am truly honored each and every time that I’m asked. But I was lucky enough to watch my mentor go through the Dreamforce prep experience the year before I was asked, so I knew what was in store for me. I’m not sure others are quite so lucky.

Get to the point already, Becka!

Yes, sorry – moving on. My point is, that while an honor, presenting at Dreamforce is no walk in the park.

If I had a [talking] hammer…

In honor of the AppExchange relaunch (should be in the next few hours), I thought now would be the perfect time for my second in the “If I Had a Hammer…” series.

 

“So what’s a talking hammer?”, you might asked. Not really sure, we should ask Walt Disney. What I’m referring to are my  favorite  marketing apps. (Follow my train of thought there?) There are hundreds of options out there, and for now I don’t want to focus on the marketing automation apps (messaging hammers?), but some other apps that help marketers give value within a Salesforce org. Here we go…

Herding Cats

“Herding Cats for DF12”

This was the subject line of an email I recently received, and I couldn’t agree more. With a group of five attending (plus potentially a few more with keynote-only passes), the five sessions that I’m speaking in and obligations to meet up with people, there is a lot to coordinate for my Dreamforce trip this year. And I know that I’m not alone. So here are my Dreamforce 2012 tips to keep your sanity.

Want to meet me?

Instead of trying to find me in a sea of 70,000 other Dreamforce attendees, the one sure-fire way to see me at Dreamforce is to come to one of my sessions. And now that the agenda builder is live, you can add my sessions to your schedule. Here’s where you can find me:

Five Admin Tips Every Developer Needs to Know

You are a master of Apex, and the users in your company love your Visualforce pages. You’re a developer at heart, you love it. Join us to learn five tips your salesforce.com admins are using to streamline how they work with the platform, and how you can make use of them too. | Tuesday at 2:30

How to be a Marketable Admin

The role of Salesforce Admin has really expanded over the years and a stellar admin is highly sought after.  What does it take to make sure you have what it takes to get that dreamjob?  This working session will help make sure you are putting your best foot forward in the Salesforce Admin world.  Team up with experts to tweak your resume, update your Linkedin profile, and snazz up your overall online persona so you are positioned the best way possible. | Wednesday at 12:15

Answers Live 

This is your chance to ask some of our expert users about tips, tricks, and best practices. Come with your toughest questions—leave with a smile on your face and the answers you wanted most. | Wednesday at 3:00

I’m an Admin – Get Me Out of Here

You’re an admin and you know it – clap your hands – but you’re ready to move onto the next rung in your career so where do you go next and how do you get there? Whether you’re thinking of consulting or wondering what else is out there come here advice and the pros & cons and highs & lows from a few people who’ve been there, done that and worn the washed-out t-shirt. | Thursday at 10:00

Too Many Chefs in your Admin Setup Kitchen?

A team of admins, developers, and consultants  all making changes to your salesforce org at the same time can be a nightmare.  Don’t let your setup soup be ruined by too many chefs.  Come learn tips to keep deployments from colliding and pitfalls to avoid when directing air traffic in the cloud. | Thursday at 11:30

With five different sessions, hopefully one of them will be something that interests you enough to come meet me & introduce yourself and a reader of the blog. I’m even planning some special goodies to give to my readers! See you in a month!

Like sands through the hourglass…

I have a confession to make – the hardest part about these blog posts is coming up with a catchy subject line. Not sure how I feel about this one, but it’ll have to do.

Actually – I have two confessions to make…I occasionally make changes in my production org.

At this point, I am betting half my readers are nodding along, saying “Yeah, so? What’s the big deal?” While the other half of my readers are horrified at the very thought. And the more I thought about this issue, I realize that neither side is wrong. It’s all a matter of perspective.