My favorite thing about working with Salesforce and Pardot is that it’s not just about a product — it’s about being a part of a community.
Pardot admins, we’re part of this #ohana too. If you haven’t been to one of the many user-led conferences and events, you’ve got to check them out. Many of them feature solid marketing content, and it is incredibly valuable to be up to speed on what’s happening across all Salesforce clouds and products.
It would be awesome to see more Pardot peeps sharing knowledge and showcasing the amazing work they’re doing on the platform. And hey, it never hurts to have a work-related excuse to go somewhere fun.
Here are some opportunities in Q1 to get involved:
Tahoe Dreamin’
Tahoe Dreamin’ is the first big Salesforce event of the year, held January 19-20 in South Lake Tahoe, Nevada. Props to whoever came up with their tagline:
“Up to Snow Good with the Ohana”
…just brrrrilliant.
There actually isn’t any Pardot content at this event. So let’s get some session proposals together for 2019, guys!
London’s Calling
London’s Calling is Europe’s largest community led Salesforce event, and this year it will be held on February 16th.
Pardot content includes a hands-on, interactive Pardot Crash Course by Jess Pyne. There will also be a Marketing Cloud vs. Pardot duel hosted by Stephanie Foerst and Chris Zullo.
Yes, you read that right — a DUEL! How very British. Really excited to see what they put together for this…
Snowforce
Snowforce is March 7-9 in West Valley City, Utah. According to the event site:
The first incarnation of Snowforce was formed in 2012 as an excuse to go skiing.
I like the way these people roll. No agenda posted yet, because they just completed their call for speakers on January 1st.
Southeast Dreamin’
This one is in Atlanta, my home sweet home! This year’s SED is March 15-16 — and they’re still looking for speakers and sponsors if you want to get involved.Last year I presented a Pardot-focused session called “How Empathy Can Drastically Improve the Success of Your Marketing Campaigns.” Still thinking about topics to suggest for this year’s event.
MVP Nominations
Salesforce has an MVP program to recognize people who contribute to the community and help others succeed on the platform. The deadline for Winter ’18 nominations is February 5th.
Maybe I have too much time on my hands, but I googled every new member of the last MVP class — and no Pardot representation. Let’s change this! I already have a few submissions in the works for some of the many Pardot peeps that inspire me…
Pardot User Groups
Networking with other marketing and Pardot folks in similar roles is invaluable. It’s great to have someone to whiteboard with when you have an outside-the-box challenge or problem to solve.
Most major cities have a Pardot User Group. You can check for one in your area on the Trailblazer Community. (The easiest way to search this is by selecting “User Groups by Region” in the left rail and then picking your state from the list.)
What else are you doing to grow your skills & knowledge in Q1?
Any other events or opportunities on your radar that I missed? How do you keep your Pardot and Salesforce skills sharp?
Let us know in the comments!
