I’m probably the latest to blog about this, but at the beginning of April I’ve been awarded with the Salesforce MVP title. And from that time people started to ask – what it exactly mean and how can I get it?
What is it about?
Salesforce created the program a while ago and changed it from that time. Basically once a year the whole community can nominate people, who they think show expertise, generosity, leadership and advocacy.
Not sure about the first point, as some MVPs publicly declare they don’t really know much about the technology, but the rest is true.
Then they check all the nominations, get feedback from existing MVPs (e.g. it is a good idea to be known among them as well) and then blackbox will decide, who will become MVP and will make it to less than 300 people worldwide. The whole process is described on their blog.
Benefits?
You know, I signed the NDA and everything is secret. But some benefits are publicly available:
- access to Premium Support, which I can use for my clients as well;
- free certification vouchers – which I struggle with, because I can use them but still, why not let my company pay for them if they want the certifications?
- special access to product team;
- early access to beta programs – which sounds cool, but as customers cannot use it yet, is it worth the time to know, where it goes? To me yes, to others?
- free ticket to Dreamforce and discounts to other events (you still have to pay for flights and hotel).
What you did?
You might want to make it as well. Don’t make it your priority, it really should be a reward. But it doesn’t mean you cannot copy what I do, it will help the whole community.
- I don’t have time to solve questions on Trailblazer community daily, but I try at least once a month to help with questions nobody else answered;
- I do lead a Prague Administrator Group and try to attend other UG’s meetings;
- as a Lightning Champion I try to promote switch to Lightning as much as possible, sharing tips and tricks, doing presentations, helping others;
- I do blog (you are here, you know?)
- I did interviews with people in Czech Republic;
- I send monthly tips how to improve Salesforce (in Czech);
- I travel to conferences and try to present as much as possible – last year at London’s Calling and Dreamforce, this year at YeurDreamin, regularly at CEE Fundraising Conference;
- active on Twitter;
- have a course on Naučme se;
- implementing Salesforce to NGOs under the CRM pro neziskovky umbrella;
- mentor for Supermums (and happy to mentor anyone who ask);
- oponent for disseration works;
- CzechDreamin organiser.
And probably the most important thing – I did and do it all for my pleasure, not for my benefits.
I hope you got the idea. In a nutshell it looks like I don’t bother working much for my employeer but rather spend my time elsewhere. Hope it isn’t true and I’m just more effective than those who cannot imagine how I make it all happen.
Is it important for customers?
Frankly, I hope it isn’t. As I wrote above, they can even feel I won’t have time for them.
But they definitely benefit from it. Not from the MVP title, but from the actions:
- I learn a lot by helping others and I can use it for their benefit. This led me to all my certifications and being System and Application Certified Architect plus certified consultant on most Salesforce products is something they benefit directly;
- I can hear about new features well before they are ready, prepare them and don’t waste money on thing that will become standard. It also means we push some changes to the future just to save money and energy;
- I can use by network to ask people with more knowledge how to approach things;
- I always learn a tons of new things on conference and I don’t hesitate to use this knowledge. If you not going to conferences you definitelly miss a lot.
Who will be next?
I’ve been told I’m the first Salesforce MVP in the CEE region. You have to be active in the community for 12 months and next nomination round will open probably in December, so you won’t make it unless you are already on the way, but why not aim on next year?
Bullshit, you cannot get the title, but you can do all those great things and benefit from them anyway. Do them. And let me know!