Engage with the Trailblazer Community

As we head into a new year full of resolutions and goals, many of us may be soon resolving to learn a new skill or pursue professional development. If you are new to Salesforce or perhaps just figuring out if Salesforce could be right for your organization, the Trailblazer community offers a wealth of resources and networking opportunities–for free! We’ve compiled a brief overview of how to get started with Trailhead as well as some of the more overlooked components of the community that pack a punch. 

Just Getting Started? Create Your Free Account on Trailhead

Salesforce is a robust CRM tool, and as such, does require some learning to be able to use it effectively and efficiently. The good news is that Salesforce offers a free learning platform: Trailhead. You don’t even need to have an active Salesforce license or system in order to sign up either.

Start by creating a free account at https://trailhead.salesforce.com.  If you are getting started with Salesforce now or soon, we strongly encourage everyone on your team who will be using Salesforce to begin learning on Trailhead. At Nimbus Tech, we’re a Salefsorce implementation parter, which means we help a lot of clients get started with Salesforce. We’ve noticed that our customers who do take advantage of Trailhead see the highest and quickest rates of success and adoption. Therefore, the best time to start learning is now. If you have a project coming up with us or another partner, exploring on Trailhead will give you insight into the platform, increase the likelihood of you asking the right questions or knowing how to answer questions, and make you feel more confident when you hit the training stages of your project.

Embark on Trailheads and Trailmixes

First, a little about the terminology used on Trailhead may be helpful. Seasons users of Trailhead know all about trails and trailmixes. A "trail" refers to a pre-built learning pathway made by Salesforce that is composed of smaller modules and units. Trails are often built with an intentional sequence to promote your learning. 

For those in the nonprofit world, some good trails to start on include:

• Get Started with Trailhead
• Explore Nonprofit Success Pack (NPSP)
• Begin with Nonprofit Success Pack
• Fundraise with Salesforce for Nonprofits

A "trailmix" refers to a community-built learning playlist made by other users that may be composed of entire or multiple trails, modules, units, or projects. With trailmixes, the sequence may not be as linear, allowing you to jump around and complete topics as you see fit. As you gain confidence on the Trailhead platform, you can even create your own trailmixes for your internal team.

Your project consultant will share Trailhead recommendations for your specific project and products. Here are our general recommendations for trails and learning that are well-suited for the majority of our nonprofit clients:

• Nimbus Tech's Nonprofit Starter Trailmix
• Nimbus Tech's NPSP Trailmix

Additionally, if your project includes volunteer, program or case management, or grant-making tools these trails and trailmixes are for you: 

• Volunteers for Salesforce Essentials
• Manage Programs with Nonprofit Cloud
• Manage Your Mission with Program Management Module
• Manage Grantmaking with Salesforce for Nonprofits

Explore Trailblazer Groups

Trailblazer Groups are communities focused on niche topics, industries, products, or regions within the larger Salesforce ecosystem. These groups can be great places to ask questions, get advice on troubleshooting, or find additional resources.  

We encourage you and your team to explore the many Trailblazer Groups that exist to see if any may be beneficial to your organization. As a starting point, here are some groups that may be of interest: 

Nonprofit and Education Mindshare

Preview: "Let's share content! Share Nonprofit & Education-specific webinars, blogs, podcasts--we want to know what you are working on!"

‍Nonprofit Ask Me Anything

Preview: "At a nonprofit and have a question? Join our monthly live, Zoom-based "any questions" Q&A, with our Salesforce community panel. Our focus is beginner and intermediate level Salesforce admins although everyone in the nonprofit ecosystem is welcome." 

Nonprofit User Group, Michigan

Preview: "The Michigan Nonprofit Salesforce Community Group is for anyone in the nonprofit and education ecosystem and for all skill levels. Join this group to connect and learn with your peers from across the state." 

Nonprofit Release Readiness

Preview: "This is a public group for conversation around Nonprofit Cloud-specific release updates." 

Product-Specific Trailblazer Groups

Nonprofit Success Pack (NPSP)

Preview: "The Nonprofit Success Pack (NPSP) is a series of managed packages, installed on top of Salesforce Enterprise Edition. The 6 packages of the NPSP make it easier for you to use Salesforce to manage the core relationships between individual donors, their households, and the companies they work for."

Nonprofit Cloud Case Management

Preview: "Salesforce.org moderated group for users of Nonprofit Cloud Case Management." 

Program Management Module (PMM)

Preview: "Salesforce.org moderated public group for users of Program Management Module (PMM)." 

Outbound Funds Module

Preview: "Outbound Funds Module is a foundational solution for foundations and nonprofits who disburse awards and grants to track their funding programs and requests, gain insight on financial commitments, and manage disbursements."

Volunteers for Salesforce (V4S)

Preview: "This is a public group for questions and discussions surrounding Volunteers for Salesforce. You can use V4S to manage volunteer relationships, events, and communications."

Enhance Your Engagement

Salesforce produces a wealth of video and webinar resources, many of which are free to the community or clients with active licenses. A few good starting places are to take a look at the Trailblazer Blog, the video streaming platform Salesforce+, or the community events page. 

Each year Salesforce also hosts a variety of small and large webinars and in-person events. While Dreamforce is their spotlight event, it can be expensive to attend. Our recommendation for new clients is to virtually attend Dreamforce for free by watching live and recorded sessions on Salesforce+. 

Another great option is the Salesforce Days series, which often runs over the course of ~6 months throughout any given year. Salesforce Days sessions range from expert-led demos, tips and training for credentials, and topic-specific or industry-specific training. 

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