For a period of about five years, I worked with a medium-sized Salesforce agency. During that time, I was often the lead on the more challenging projects. They were usually the projects no one else could manage, or the really big ones that scared people away.
In those situations, whenever I had to select a Salesforce project champion, there’s a certain individual I looked for.
This individual’s essence is captured in one of the more difficult clients. This tough client was really tough. They demanded a lot from their staff and from their partners, and this led to a lot of stress being passed around.
One of the staff members in particular was extra demanding. Let’s call her Karen.
Karen was amazing at her job and she just “got” things. She was not easily fooled and when she spoke, everyone listened.
So when the time came to pick my champion, I knew it had to be Karen.
My thoughts were, if I can convince Karen this project was going to be a success, if she can see the value we were bringing, then everyone else would be easy.
And sure enough, I won Karen over, and the project was well-received.
The takeaway
When starting a Salesforce project, find your Karen and make her your champion. Provide her with all the details, make sure her needs are fulfilled, and get her excited for the project. Everyone else will be easier.