Salesforce is known to open up doors, not just for the people using the technology at organizations, but also for the people managing it.
As a proud Salesforce Admin or Salesforce community manager, make the most of your position! Salesforce (and their partners) offer a lot of opportunities to develop your personal brand and engage with the Salesforce community.
Why is a Salesforce Brand Important?
When you take a step back an put yourself in your boss’ or company’s shoes, there are many people certified in Salesforce that are ready and willing to take on a new job… maybe even yours.
When there is competition that can deliver similar results, why should they choose you? What can you do to stand out? Just like any business, it all goes back to offering a superb customer experience. When you can offer a delightful experience on top of results, you have instantly set yourself apart.
Set Yourself Up for Salesforce Success
And if you are looking for new opportunities, one of my favorite quotes says it best:
“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” ― Seneca
The key word there is “preparation.” In order to gain attention to even be able to take advantage of said opportunities, you have to do one single thing: commit to your personal brand. Here are 25 ways you can set yourself up for success.
Post on Social Media
This is your lowest barrier to entry to begin developing your online real estate.
- Instead of trying to be everywhere, pick one social channel that can act as your hub and automate your posting using a tool like Hootsuite or Buffer
- Actively post about your journey and interests; this is your chance to “find your tribe”
- Choose a handle and make it catchy and related to Salesforce (Has anyone heard of Salesforce Ben?)
- Hook your LinkedIn up to Trailhead to showcase your initiative and development; Trailhead is a great way to organically showcase accountability
Visually Brand Yourself
Before anyone will read or view your content, you have to capture their attention. You do that with visuals, many of which you can design yourself or even hire a local freelancer or student.
- Choose a tool like Easil or Canva to easily design your own cover photos for social media
- Choose Salesforce blue as an accent color
- Download the Dreamoji sticker app
It’s important to remember to credit all sources for any images you might use. You will also want to review the Salesforce brand guidelines to make sure you’re not violating any set terms that could get you in trouble.
You can access the Salesforce Brand Guidelines from the Salesforce Partner Community
It’s Time to Connect
While networking can feel scary and slimy, connecting with your Ohana is invigorating and exciting. Keeping your attitude positive, mind open, and ideas fresh will not only make you a better participant, but enable to a better experience for those around you.
- Request business cards from your company or make your own to hand out
- Attend Salesforce Base Camps, World Tours, Dreamforce and other events and user groups
- Look at other Tech Meet up groups: meetup.com, LinkedIn. (women in tech, etc.), conferences
- Use these tried and true conversation starters
- Reach out on LinkedIn and introduce yourself
- Continue learning on Trailhead
- Volunteer with a nonprofit to develop your Salesforce experience, help another organization, and develop your connections
- Tell your story to inspire others
What Do I Talk About?
When it comes down to what to actually talk about, many people struggle and don’t actually advance. This is the most critical part of your success. The good news is, once you get started, you will start seeing content everywhere. Here are some ideas to get you started.
- Cover Salesforce and other tech events
- Curate content from other Salesforce experts and share it (giving credit to your sources, of course!)
- Share your highlights from the latest release notes
- Biggest improvements made by Salesforce
- Share your Salesforce Ohana experiences
- Review and comment on Salesforce webinars
- Share your notes from a Trailhead module
Going the Extra Mile
If you are fully dedicated to developing your Salesforce brand, here are six things you can do to go the extra mile.
- Set up your own website
- Showcase your portfolio
- Start blogging
- Send a monthly newsletter
- Ask to speak at user groups
- Speak on podcasts — or start your own!
Now it’s your chance to go out there and be the best part of the Salesforce Ohana you can be! If you tried any of these tactics, let us know if it worked in the comments below.
