5 Tips to Prepare for Dreamforce 2019 with project app Milestones PM+

Dreamforce 2019 will be here before we know it, November 19-22. For partners interested in presenting at the annual Salesforce conference, the application deadline for submissions is today, September 16th, and sponsorships remain available on a first-come-first-serve basis. Whether your company plans on running a booth, holding a speaker session, or having a meetup, the leadup to a cost- and time-intensive event such as Dreamforce is busy and borderline chaotic – we would know, we’ve done it multiple times.

How to Stay Organized

Aside from our hardworking, dedicated employees and featured customer speakers, our Dreamforce success is enabled with our very own Salesforce-based project management system, Milestones PM+. Start planning for Dreamforce or any marketing event for free with Milestones PM+ today. Here are 5 success tips to get prepared for Dreamforce.

The chances of writing down a complete, all-inclusive to-do list in one attempt are slim. Decide on a breakdown structure to track the progress of project work. For Dreamforce 2018, some of our milestones included Expo Booth, Travel Arrangements, Supplies to Order, and Supplies to Bring. Other major activities that may need milestones are networking materials, marketing content, and sales collateral. Keep to the defined milestones as best as possible in order to avoid scattered catch-all milestones named “other” or “etcetera.”

2. Add Tasks along the way

One reason to keep to the predefined milestones is clutter. Planning can foresee only so far ahead yet bumps in the road will pop up: there will be tasks that are overlooked or unanticipated but they shouldn’t derail the main agenda. Expect the unexpected. Document new tasks as they arise under the appropriate milestone; a new task does not automatically justify/equate a new milestone. If a milestone does start to look out of control, create a new one and distribute the tasks just from the cluttered milestone accordingly.

Mark the status of a Task as soon as it occurs. This not only keeps Milestone and Project status fields accurate but prevents the common query of “what still needs to be done,” a query that wastes time retracing steps instead of moving forward.

For managers or project owners, getting a relevant summary on the progress of a Project and its Milestones is easy with some customization. Measure effort with Hour fields and finances with Expense fields to estimate, budget, and record actuals. View productivity with blocked, complete, late, and open Task fields.

5. You get out what you put in

Event planning as a Dreamforce sponsor can be stressful and overwhelming, but remember that it’s only one step of your experience and will make your week in San Francisco that much more enjoyable. See the light blazing at the end of the trail.🔥

Blaze your Trail to Dreamforce and Beyond

Struggling with Dreamforce or other outreach event planning? Customization options are available with Milestones PM+ Starter Packs, or speak with our awesome team.

Further reading for project management: Using Milestones PM+ for marketing project management helps event preparation, deadline visibility, and team collaboration.

Further reading for Dreamforce tips: Easy Decision-Making for Dreamforce 2019 with Salesforce App Prioritization Helper