Learning Salesforce: Lessons Learned

Posted on July 30, 2024  (Last modified on December 10, 2024) • 4 min read • 806 words

Getting up to Speed in Salesforce.

As someone who’s been going through the process for over 2 years now, I’ve realized there are many ways to learn and navigate this platform and its ecosystem. If I could start all over again, I would try a different approach to maximize my time. In this blog, We’ll share what we’ve learned and how it can help others along the way.

Let’s Dive In!

Going Beyond Trailhead  

No matter what path your journey takes you, the word Trailhead will eventually be tossed around. Not once, twice, or even three times but more like… “Head over to Trailhead to learn everything about Salesforce. Read their helpful documentation to resolve any issues you may encounter.”

As true as this statement is, the amount of information available today, in Trailhead, can seem overwhelming, and knowing where to start first may not be as clear and precise as one would have imagined five to ten years ago.

Instead, try the following methods to find your path.

(Note: these are not in any particular order and you may find that many of these methods can be applied to other areas of interest outside of Salesforce.)

Learn The Lingo  

Get familiar with the basic building blocks or essential elements of the Salesforce ecosystem. Focus, understand, and memorize key terms or vocabulary. Grasp the names of things, people, places, or concepts to visualize the context and complex ideas.

Attend webinars about particular products or services Salesforce has to offer. Read the blogs, that thousands of Trailblazers, who have previously gone or are going through have decided to share with others.

Use your “Google-Fu” to effectively search and narrow down the product and service content that is accurate and relevant to gather the information you need to learn.

Try using some of the latest AI tools like ChatGPT. Easily ask it some questions to help summarize some answers you can use to narrow down or refine your searches.

It may not get your the right answer all the time but can help shed necessary search time.

Recap  

Whether you are a reader, auditory, visual, or kinesthetic learner identifying the preferred method of absorbing, retaining, and processing information. This will help maximize your efforts and minimize the consumption time.

Visual learners prefer to learn by seeing and using diagrams, charts, or written instructions. Where reading books, articles, or taking notes is preferred by writing learners. Perhaps you’d prefer to listen to lectures, discussions, or audiobooks, in this case, you could be considered an auditory learner. Kinesthetic learners prefer to roll up their sleeves and get their hands-on experience or physical activity to get their flow moving.

Identify your style of learning by reflecting on your past experiences to what made you understand and retain information the best. Pay attention to how you respond to different learning environments to see if you prefer reading instructions, listening to explanations, or seeing demonstrations.

Once you have identified your preferred method use the resources available to exercise the muscles that will help you retain the information simpler and quicker than ever before.

Engage With The Community (Online + On-Site)  

Online community forums have been under development since the 1980s but didn’t take off until the mid-1990s when the World Wide Web began to gain popularity.

They help bring people together, from all parts of the world, to engage and discuss in topics of interest. Whether it's the Salesforce Community, Community Forums, LinkedIn, X, Tiktok, Reddit, and more there is a vast amount of people coming together, with similar interests eager to connect and help each other.

For as long as anyone could remember industry events take place year round. People from all over the world come together to learn about the latest trends and innovations from each industry. They help put you face-to-face with people who can shape your career.

While the event activities help bring people together. Its the after-hours activities that really let you connect with others in ways you may have never imagined. This is where you learn and connect with those who can help win the next opportunity, win an interview, or simply make new friends.

No matter the case these in-person events continue to shape the way industries bring people together to engage, share and connect with others.

The Bigger Picture  

Seeing things from a different perspective can help understand how everything comes together. Whether you seek hands on training, prefer to build things (on your own time), or simply want to organize your company’s data. Salesforce has various use-cases and purposes, choose one and see where it takes you.

Let us know in the comments your favorite “Ways To Learn Salesforce” and we’ll make sure we include them in our next installment!

And until then, keep working hard, smart, and happy. We’ll see you in the cloud!