Entrepreneurs and executives have to be selective about the all-day events they attend. No one can afford to ignore potential new customers or the needs of existing ones. When you invest those hours in learning, therefore, you’d better get something valuable out of it -- which is why Salesforce World Tour focuses on offering a global look at how Trailblazers are using digital technology to drive innovation.
Touching down in Toronto on April 11, Salesforce World Tour will offer a place for business owners to build upon the steps they’ve already taken to become more data-driven across sales, marketing and customer service. It’s a chance to hear from expert speakers, but also a unique gathering of their peers in a collaborative, non-competitive environment. You’ll not only hear the latest updates on the Salesforce platform, but also get a glimpse into how other entrepreneurs are maximizing the platform’s potential.
In some respects, Salesforce World Tour hints at the real power behind the term “Trailblazer.” Everyone wants to lead in their industry or sector, but you only get there by following the path of others who lit the way for you. That’s what the insights, demonstrations and networking at Salesforce World Tour are all about. Yes, we’re celebrating Trailblazers, but we’re also nurturing future Trailblazers, too.
If you’ve never been to Salesforce World Tour before, here’s what to expect -- and seven reasons why it’s worth heading to the Enercare Centre on April 11:
1. Gamify your digital transformation journey
It’s not just those with backgrounds in computer science who are starting small businesses that use data in ways that accelerate their growth. Just ask Sarah Franklin, Salesforce’s EVP and GM of Trailhead and Developer Relations.
Having spent a decade at the company, Sarah has had the chance to work directly with entrepreneurs from all sorts of backgrounds who have used Trailhead to learn the kind of tech skills that once seemed inaccessible. Sarah will kick off Salesforce World Tour with a keynote that will prove there’s an inner Trailblazer in all of us.
2. Deep dive into your top priority technologies
For some businesses, there’s still a ton to learn about customer relationship management (CRM) and marketing automation. Others are starting to look at more recent innovations in artificial intelligence (AI) like Einstein Voice, or want to use tools like Quip to boost collaboration and productivity.
Salesforce World Tour includes dozens of sessions that will drill down into the kind of specifics that can turn novices into power users. This includes extending the power of Salesforce through AppExchange, getting started with building apps on Lightning or just using DocuSign to close deals more quickly.
3. Apply what name-brand firms have already done
Sometimes the information presented at conferences and events can sound too abstract or theoretical to put into practice. Salesforce World Tour makes sure that doesn’t happen by looking at specific companies and how they’ve already seen success with the platform. This includes firms like Audi and Lacoste, as well as Deloitte Digital, which will look into the specific nuances of applying Salesforce technology in a public sector context.
4. Overcome your internal obstacles
Entrepreneurs know they need to constantly evolve with the times, but that means working through a lot of change management issues with their team.
You might have an IT department that’s at odds with certain other business departments, for example, over the way applications are developed. In other companies it’s the sales and marketing teams that aren’t aligned around the customer journey. And what about the age-old problem of simply getting people to use the latest technologies?
Salesforce World Tour has sessions that walk through what’s worked to break through all of these barriers and more.
5. Address your industry-specific challenges
Every business is unique, but depending on the vertical market in which you operate there can be some factors that are more urgent than others. Salesforce World Tour will be creating specific breakouts for those in financial services, for example, who want to unify the experiences they offer both professional and personal customers. Others might be more concerned about how to handle data amid changing privacy regulations, or what the concept of “lean governance” could bring to their firm.
6. Benchmark yourself against Salesforce customers everywhere
Salesforce conducts lots of primary research, but so do its many partners. Towards the end of Salesforce World Tour, for example, attendees will have an opportunity to get an early look at the results of the annual State of Salesforce report from Bluewolf, based on input from more than 2,500 businesses worldwide.
7. Expose yourself to the Salesforce customer success ecosystem
We call our technology a platform because lots of other organizations build on it to create highly valuable products and services of their own. It can be challenging sometimes for businesses to keep on top of them all, which is why you’ll want to spend some time checking out the Customer Success Expo and seeing live demonstrations of the solutions that are most relevant to your business.
Throughout Salesforce World Tour, you’ll also notice a recurring theme around creating an outstanding customer experience -- one that nurtures a community of your biggest fans. In the same way, coming to the Enercare Centre on April 11 will give you access to a unique community of your peers, alongside some of the best and brightest minds on the Salesforce team. We can’t wait to welcome you!
