Dreamforce is coming again this year and as usual, it will be over the top with good stuff to see, learn and take in as Salesforce.com has its yearly convention in San Francisco November 18-21.

I have been fortunate to have attended at least five Dreamforce’s in a row and each year they get bigger, better and quite overwhelming to say the least.  This month, I will provide some details as to the 3 different presentations I have this year and will give you a sneak peak at the topics and some discussion points we will go over during Dreamforce 2013.

First things first, here are my recommendations on how to take in Dreamforce whether you a rookie or a seasoned veteran.

1) Have a set of objectives you want to accomplish by the end of Dreamforce.  No matter how hard you try, it will be easy to get distracted by vendors, free stuff, parties and cool sessions. Make sure you have a list of things you want to ensure you get out of Dreamforce as to ensure you won’t leave at the end with your head filled with all these idea’s, people you have met, but not a lot of meat at the end of the week. (speaking from experience)

2) Engage – No matter how many product demo’s you see or how many sessions you attend make sure you talk to people, engage in dialog and put yourself out there. You will find a lot of companies and people are dealing with the same issues or successes you are dealing with and sharing and learning from this active engagement with others is the beauty of a conference like Dreamforce. I have met some pretty bright innovative people at Dreamforce and this was because I put myself out there, talked to people and socially made an effort to learn beyond the schedule.

3) Keep things in perspective – Whether you are part of a start-up, a large enterprise company or even a vendor at Dreamforce, perspective is everything. You will be ‘wowed’  by a lot of the talk of innovation and new things coming, but if you map most of the new stuff to what you do with your company, it will help narrow down what you want to learn and focus on the stuff that will make your world better as it comes to the Salesforce.com

4) Enjoy yourself!  If you follow the above advice, you will find yourself a busy person during Dreamforce. However, don’t forget to have a good time. Among the various booths, presentations, networking events, there is an amazing world city right at your doorsteps. Get out and walk the city, attend sponsored events  and happy hours. Be careful not to stay out too late each night as it will affect the days and you will need all the energy you need during the conference. In the end, you want to accomplish your personal objectives at Dreamforce 2013, but don’t forget to take a break and enjoy your surroundings.

Hector

• Tags: #DF13, Dreamforce, Salesforce.com, SFDC