Are you getting prepared for? You’re not alone. Thousands of trailblazers from across the world will be visiting San Francisco from September 20 to 22 to improve their Salesforce knowledge, make connections, and swoop up some cool swag.
Preparing for Dreamforce can be both exciting and a bit overwhelming. With thousands of workshops and sessions available over the three-day conference, there is a lot of decision-making and planning to do. But don’t stress! We have you covered. Here’s a Dreamforce checklist to help you pack, plan, and prepare for Salesforce’s largest conference of the year.
What to Pack for Dreamforce
Whether you’re getting on a plane or making the drive to San Francisco, packing can be a doozy. This is especially true if you’re trying to bring minimal luggage. As always, it’s hard to squelch the voice in the back of your head saying, “What if I need this?” That voice also likes to chime in with, “You forgot X!” once you’re on the airplane or an hour into your drive.
We won’t go into mega detail on all the things you should pack for the Dreamforce conference—underwear, socks, and pants should all be a given—but here are a few must-haves beyond the necessities.
Branded Gear
You’re about to be in front of more than 170,000 conference attendees and nearly 400 companies. Be sure to pack branded gear to give your company some exposure! From tee shirts and branded socks to a backpack and water bottle, pack your favorite branded goodies to show off your business.
An added bonus of wearing something branded: you’re more likely to have people approach you. If they are familiar with your brand, they may come up to ask you a question or inquire about partnering. If they’ve never heard of your brand, they may be intrigued and ask to learn more about it.
Want to grab some cool Formstack branded swag at Dreamforce? Keep an eye on our events page to ensure you know which booth to stop by.
Business Cards
Packing business cards may be a given, but have you thought about ordering extras? Get your order in ASAP to ensure you don’t run out during Dreamforce. There are tons of parties to attend, which means hundreds of opportunities to hand out a business card. Don’t rely on the business cards you currently have on hand—order more now so you have plenty and don’t have to awkwardly tell someone you don’t have a card on you.
Comfortable Shoes
With a multitude of keynotes, parties, and vendor booths to attend, you’re going to be doing a lot of walking. In fact, the event is spread out throughout multiple venues in downtown San Francisco, including including the Moscone Center, Marriott Marquis, InterContinental, Palace Hotel, Hilton Union Square, Park Central, and Westin St. Francis. Make sure you bring shoes that are comfortable and worn in to avoid painful blisters and foot pain.
Portable Phone Charger & Laptop Charger
As stated above, you will be walking a lot during the Dreamforce conference. Avoid the nightmare of being completely lost in San Francisco by packing a portable phone charger. You won’t want to be left without easy access to GPS and the internet as you try to navigate between multiple locations.
If you’re trying to keep on top of your email in between keynotes, workshops, and sessions, you’ll need to have your computer charger on hand. Don’t forget to plug your portable cell phone charger into your computer while taking those short catch up breaks!
Rainy Weather Gear
The weather in San Fransisco can be a bit all over the place. Although September is usually a dryer month, it's smart to bring a variety of clothing to ensure you can dress for the day’s forecast. Be sure to pack a small travel umbrella, raincoat, sweaters, and waterproof shoes so you can stay warm and dry while walking around downtown.
It can be a bit cooler in the morning as well as within the venue, so pack clothing that is easy to layer to help avoid being too hot or cold throughout the day.
How to Plan for Dreamforce
Scope Out Sessions
With thousands of sessions to choose from, it can be a bit daunting to create a game plan. Make it a bit easier on your brain by taking time before the event begins to review session options. You can star any that sound interesting, pertain to what you want to learn, or will help you expand a skill.
Salesforce makes it incredibly simple to sort and filter the Dreamforce sessions and keynotes. Whether you want to check out only beginner sessions or those specifically for your role, their handy search box makes it quick and easy to whittle down the results to exactly what you want. Be sure to check back often, since new sessions are added all the time.
Don’t Plan Every Second
Although it is smart to plan ahead, try not to over plan your Dreamforce experience. Give yourself some buffer time between big events to decompress and reflect back on what you learned.
Don’t feel like you have to go to absolutely everything; it’s better to focus on the most important aspects of the conference, rather than trying to fit in everything and feeling absolutely exhausted halfway through day two.
Review the Sponsors
Are learning more about innovative products, investigating new partnerships, and making new connections high on your Dreamforce priority list? Then you need to scope out the sponsor list once it comes out. Get all the info on who will be at Dreamforce, including company details, booth location, and core industries. Take time to check out the sponsors and make a game plan for who you want to hit up.
Give Yourself Plenty of Time
Traffic will be crazy, there’s a high probability that you will take a wrong turn, and you might get confused on room locations. These are all reasons why you need to give yourself lots of time when planning your Dreamforce excursions. Leave your hotel or Airbnb ahead of schedule to ensure you get to where you’re going on time and without adding to your stress level.
Pro Tip: Make your Dreamforce party RSVPs now to ensure your name is on the list for the best get togethers happening around San Francisco!
Go Forth and Conquer Dreamforce
With your bags packed and a plan in place, you can now feel confident that you can conquer Dreamforce 2022! If you want to freshen up on some of your Salesforce knowledge before starting your journey, check out all our Salesforce articles for helpful tips and Salesforce how-tos.
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