All the more need for casual chains to be cost efficient with spending by incorporating social media programs into the mix.

Leave it to the military to come up with a clear, tactical approach to how and when to respond to a blogger across a wide range of posting types. Anyone in social media should read this, and hopefully add to it. This is pretty tightly focused on bloggers, and with social networks, the range of situations would be far broader. However, this is foundational to all social situations.

Great article on transparency and best practices for brands developing relationships with communities. Although the article is also communicating Edelman's failures with the Wal-Mart Across America campaign that wasn't transparent, Steve Rubel makes a lot of good points. "When a company can determine what it wants -- and that overlaps with what a consumer wants -- and you participate in a meaningful way in a social network to make that happen, I think that's very credible..."

Amazon.com is reporting its strongest holiday-season sales performance, although it did not disclose exact revenue figures. In comparison, overall online holiday sales are estimated by SpendingPulse to have dropped 2.3% this year, compared with 2007. Seems like a statement for the importance of having a strong brand. Especially in bad economic times.

Haven't gone through this yet, but certainly will. And with the list of people weighing in, it should be good.