This document provides tips and lessons learned from organizing a Dreamforce user group event in Central Florida. It outlines the goal of bringing together Salesforce enthusiasts for learning and networking. Key recommendations include surveying interest, securing sponsors to offset costs, letting attendees build the agenda, effective communication planning, and partnering with Salesforce account executives and customer success managers. Sponsorship opportunities are also described that provide benefits for sponsoring breakfast, lunch, or an afternoon gathering.

1. Dreamforce To You – Central Florida
Lesson Learned
Orlando User Group
@OrlandoSFDC
@jhoskins & @CRMjen

2. Dreamforce To You – Central Florida
• Goal
– Bring together Salesforce.com enthusiasts for a
day of collaboration, networking and learning
• Purpose
– Recap Dreamforce ’09 for those who were not in
attendance
• Participation
– 73 Registrants, ~45 Attendees, 2 Sponsors

3. Tips
• Survey Interest
• Nail Down the Basics
• Communication, Buzz, Brand!
– Members, Sponsors, AEs, CSMs
• Offset Costs with Sponsorship
• Allow attendees to present and build the
agenda
• Have Breakfast & Lunch Delivered and Setup

4. Tips
• Ping Jeanine 
• Review all Presentations
• Give people plenty of notice
• Send teasers to early registrants
• Block time to get things done

5. Sponsorship Opportunities
• Birds-of-a-Feather Lunch Host ($750 - Limited to 3 Sponsors)
– Sponsor funds box lunches for event attendees ($ Amount to be determined
on projected attendance)
• Sponsor Benefits:
– Branded inclusion on Pre-Event communications
– "Day of" Mentions and Thanks and placement of branded materials at sign in AM (max 8"x10")
– Act as moderator over lunch as you host attendees (your current, potential, and future
customers) interested in meeting to discuss an approved topic.
– Opportunity to participate in "Big Winner Moments"
– Sponsor provides Big Ticket/Popular Item(s) to Raffle throughout the day (Think FlipCams,
iPhone, etc.)
– Presentation to Raffle winners day of event
• Après-event Gathering (3 - 5 PM) ($500 - Limited to 1 Sponsor)
– Sponsor picks up the tab on Appetizers/Drinks at a nearby location
• Sponsor Benefits
– Branded inclusion on Pre-Event communications with post-event details
– "Day of" Mentions and Thanks and placement of branded materials at sign in AM (max 8"x10")
– Collateral / Swag at the sponsor's will at the post-event gathering site

6. Communication Plan
• Friday, March 12
– Email to All "What's in Store: Agenda built by you - for you" (Vendors, AEs, Ticket Holders,
Invitees) (Branded, Agenda, Includes Sponsorship details)
• Tuesday, March 16
– Email to Non-Responders "What's in Store (It's not too late!)" Agenda built by attendees - for
you (Vendors, AEs, Invitees) (Branded, Agenda, Includes Sponsorship details)
• Tuesday, March 16
– Email to Ticket Holders "Tell Your Friends (They'll thank you for it!)" benefit statements to
generate referred interest (Vendors, AEs, Invitees) (Branded, Agenda, Includes Sponsorship
details)
• Thursday, March 18
– Email to All "Fun in store" Highlights giveaways, après-event details and Birds of a Feather
Lunch (Vendors, AEs, Ticket Holders, Invitees) (Branded, Agenda, Includes Sponsorship details)

7. Sample Email
Communication

8. Day of Event
• Play Motivational Conference Tunes
• Starting off with an Fun Activity
• Don’t let presentations suck up the energy
• Encourage Two-Way Collaborative Discussions
• Do Breakout (BOF Topics)
– Implementation, Out-of-the-Box, Developers
• Take Pictures

9. Tools
• EventBrite.com
• SurveyMonkey.com

11. Know what your
attendees want to
hear.

12. Know your Crowd.

13. Who
Knew?

14. Great
Sponsorship Bait.

15. More Bait.

16. More Bait.
Also Useful to AEs & CSMs

17. Thanks!

18. Details

19. Survey
• Gauge Interest
• Best Day & Time
• Approximate Attendance
• Great a Buzz at 2-3 meetings before the event

20. Nail Down the Basics
• Venue
• Date
• Time

21. Communication
• Map out the Entire Communication Plan
– Day, Time, Message, Theme
• Use Salesforce.com Community Branding
• Give people plenty of notice
• Send teasers to early registrants

22. Offset Costs
• Free Venue (Technical Colleges)
• Indentify Sponsorship Opportunities
– Breakfast, Lunch, Raffles, etc.
• Market to Salesforce.com Partners!

23. Content
• Let the attendees build the agenda!
• Allow Customers to Present
• Partner with a CSM

24. Partner with Salesforce.com
• Ping Jeanine
• Schedule time with a CSM
• Reach out to the AEs in your territory

25. Food
• Have it Delivered & Setup
• Order Breakfast for the Registrants.
• Modify Lunch Order for Actual Attendees