Discover the Benefits of the Essentials Advisors Program
Learning Objectives
After completing this unit, you’ll be able to:
- Describe the benefits of the Essentials Advisors Program for Essentials customers.
- Describe the benefits of the Essentials Advisors Program for new and aspiring admins.
Introduction
The Essentials Advisors Program was first piloted in the summer of 2019 with an initial cohort that included six advisors and six Essentials customers. These new and aspiring admins were dedicated to building upon their knowledge, exploring their passion for helping small businesses, and developing their careers in the Salesforce ecosystem.
Due to the success of the pilot, the program was officially launched in winter 2019 with a goal to receive at least 30 applications from interested applicants. That goal was more than tripled when the Essentials team received over 250 applications. The overwhelmingly positive response validated the team’s hypothesis that there was a real problem needing to be addressed. Since the launch, the Essentials team has worked to provide this opportunity to a larger group of new and aspiring admins and help more Essentials customers find success.
Let’s take a look at how these groups benefited from the Essentials Advisors Program.
The Essentials Advisors Program for Customers
First and foremost, the Essentials Advisors Program was developed to help our small business customers succeed. Customers are able to use this program to properly implement and adopt Essentials so that their organizations are set up for success.
In many ways, the Essentials Advisors Programs is the missing piece of the puzzle that our customers have been searching for. The connection to an advisor alleviates the pressure for customers to self-implement when time is precious. Customers now have the opportunity for their organization to be properly set up with the correct business workflows and customization.
Essentials customers can start to see the benefits of using Salesforce by watching their companies prosper with the addition of the Salesforce platform. This program is changing the narrative for Essentials customers that experience roadblocks in their Essentials journey. Rather than giving up on the product, they can access the support of an advisor to break through those barriers and find success.
Essentials customers who have worked with an Essentials advisor have seen firsthand the benefits of having this additional support and teamwork.
“As a Corporate and Partnership Strategist, I never had the need to utilize Salesforce prior to commencing my entrepreneurial journey. Not only did the Essentials Advisors Pilot Program afford me the opportunity to build my knowledge from the ground floor, it also provided me with an expert whose sole purpose was to make me feel comfortable in a relaxed environment.” —JT Haskins
The Essentials Advisors Program for Advisors
The Essentials Advisors Program also addresses another segment of the Salesforce ecosystem—new and aspiring Salesforce admins. Every day, new admins are earning Trailhead badges, taking instructor-led courses, and completing Salesforce certifications in order to jump into the Salesforce economy. At the same time, aspiring admins are being introduced to Salesforce and beginning their path within the Salesforce ecosystem.
These new and aspiring admins often lack the experience of working directly with customers and building their skill sets. To drive their careers forward, they need to connect with customers who need real solutions to real problems. But how can a new or aspiring admin gain experience? The answer is the Essentials Advisors Program. This program provides new and aspiring admins with the real-life experience of working with a customer in the SMB industry and gives them an opportunity to use their Salesforce knowledge in real-life scenarios. Being able to connect with a customer, understand their needs, and set up a custom Salesforce instance, gives new and aspiring admins the product and customer expertise to launch their Salesforce careers.
“Participating in the Essentials Advisors Program gave me such a leg up during my job search. Skills and tools learned from this program really helped me bring my Salesforce career to the next level!” —Devohne Moore, Essentials Advisor
Now that you know the benefits of the Essentials Advisors Program for our customers and aspiring admins, let’s see what it takes to become an Essentials advisor.
