Salesforce Connections 2024 was simply remarkable – a stimulating convergence of minds, technologies, and innovations in the world of digital marketing, commerce, and customer service. As a veteran attendee, this being my 12th year, I can confidently say that this year’s event set a new benchmark for inspiration and insight, with a touch of data cloudiness!   

Overview of Salesforce Connections 2024 

Held in the vibrant city of Chicago, Salesforce Connections 2024 drew an impressive crowd of more than 10,000 industry professionals, thought leaders, and Salesforce enthusiasts. The energy was palpable as attendees eagerly explored the latest trends, tools, and strategies to elevate their businesses. 

The event featured a stellar lineup of keynote speakers, including Ariel Kelman, Salesforce President and CMO, who talked about the ways AI is changing how we work and the pivotal role of data in enabling AI. He talked about how Einstein Copilot for Marketers helps create personalized content, smarter segments and faster campaign deployment. His keynote set the tone for what would become the central theme of the event: Data Cloud.

The Rise of Data Cloud 

Data Cloud was undeniably the star of Salesforce Connections 2024. The buzz around this innovative platform was omnipresent, dominating discussions in sessions, workshops, and networking events. Data Cloud promises to revolutionize the way businesses manage, analyze, and leverage their data to drive meaningful customer experiences. 

With Data Cloud, Salesforce provides a unified platform where businesses can seamlessly integrate data from various sources, harnessing the power of AI and machine learning to gain deeper insights and make smarter decisions. The promise of real-time data processing and analytics was a game-changer, captivating attendees and sparking countless conversations about its potential applications and benefits. 

Why is it the year of Data Cloudiness?  While this new Salesforce tool is a critical hub of the Salesforce Ecosystem, a lot of clients are still unsure how to use it, prove its value and support it.  With our 55 year history in data, we at Acxiom are here to help with all three.   

Acxiom’s Impactful Participation 

Acxiom, a leader in customer intelligence solutions, had a significant presence at Salesforce Connections 2024. Our team was honored to host three speaking sessions, each attracting a full house of eager listeners. These sessions delved into the practical applications of Data Cloud and showcased Acxiom’s innovative solutions for data-driven marketing and customer engagement. 

Session Highlights 

1. Creative Strategies for Automation, Segmentation and Loyalty
   • Learn how Scene+ leverages the economic multiplier of creativity to ignite a clean 360-degree view of its customers, build smarter segments, and drive true loyalty.
   • Thank you to our client Lisa Doke, Scene+, our good friends Kawal Singh and Rob Sturch at sister agency FCB/SIX, and our own Raj Singh for this insightful and well-attended session.   
2. Solutions for a Complex Implementation: Foxit’s Success Story
   • Stressed by a complex Salesforce implementation? Hear how Foxit Software, with Acxiom, is using Data Cloud, MC personalization, and MC engagement to accelerate sales and drive quality leads. 
   • Thank you to our client Evan Reiss, Foxit, and our own Jenn Horner for this short but sweet theater session that drove a lot of traffic to our booth! 
3. Connected Commerce:
   • On Their Terms: Learn how leading organizations are bringing their entire customer journey from campaigns, nurturing, personalizations, commerce, service, and analytics along with Einstein AI under a single Salesforce platform. 
   • Thank you to our SF friend Andy Peebler, RafterOne’s Jay Sappidi, and our own Jenn Horner for this informative theater session on day 2. 

Reflections on a Milestone Event 

As I reflect on my 12th year attending Salesforce Connections, I am struck by the profound evolution of the event and the industry as a whole. From the early days of basic CRM solutions to today’s sophisticated, AI-driven data platforms, the journey has been nothing short of transformative. 

The focus on Data Cloud this year highlighted a pivotal shift toward a more integrated and intelligent approach to customer engagement. It’s clear that the future of being a successful consumer-focused business lies in the ability to harness and interpret vast amounts of data, turning insights into actionable strategies that drive growth and customer satisfaction. 

A few thoughts from my Acxiom colleagues: 

“There are an almost overwhelming number of ways to take advantage of all that Salesforce has to offer customers. As discussed in both my sessions, sometimes just getting started is the hardest part. With Data Cloud moving to the center of all Salesforce products, it is important to start smart by understanding your business goals, understanding your data availability and reliability, and then building a path to success focused on launching use cases that show value.” 

Jenn Horner, Sr. Client Manager

“The central theme for me was AI, which is being incorporated into every product or solution that will be used in the coming months, if not sooner. For marketers, AI will be embedded in all Marketing Cloud products. It assists with tasks ranging from crafting subject lines to using a simple prompt to create an entire email, including content and audience. Also, AI provides the ability for marketers to create customer-specific audiences or segments using a natural language selector.  

Although Flow did not receive a high level of attention, it is a powerful product featured in all keynote and campground demos. With the introduction of Marketing Cloud Growth, Flow is the primary orchestrator behind hyper-personalized offers to customers. Flow drives tailored experiences using automated criteria, wait times, and varied routes based on engagement levels. A new streamlined Flow interface enables multi-step campaigns to be built like other Salesforce automations.” 

Brian Kenney, Sr. Director of Delivery

“Salesforce is reinforcing its trust in Data Cloud by placing it at the center of all solutions and simplifying the ability to seamlessly communicate with all data sources. The Zero Copy Partner network is expanding, and a large number of native connectors are being launched every month. This is enabling Salesforce to leverage AI tools grounded with the vast amount of data as its base to assist business users with predictive and generative AI use cases such as Einstein Copilot to assist marketers with smarter segments and content creation. I am also excited to hear about Einstein Personalization, which will allow real time web personalization through Data Cloud.” 

Raj Singh, Principal Architect

Looking Ahead and Call to Action 

As we look forward to the next Salesforce Connections, it’s exciting to anticipate the continued advancements in data technology and their impact on our industry. The year of Data Cloudiness has set the stage for even greater innovations, and I am eager to see how businesses will leverage these tools to achieve new heights in customer engagement and success. 

In conclusion, Salesforce Connections 2024 was a landmark event that underscored the critical importance of data in today’s business environment. Acxiom’s active participation and the enthusiastic reception of Data Cloud were testaments to the event’s success and its role in shaping the future of customer intelligence. Here’s to another year of learning, growth, and innovation in the ever-evolving world of Salesforce Connections. 

In this year of Data Cloudiness, Acxiom is here to help, please contact us to discuss our free two-hour use case workshop, designed to develop a solid plan for how your business can thrive using Data Cloud!