EXPERIENCE MATTERS — If you’re in the working world, you’ve probably sat through a 401(k) benefits meeting and heard the spiel: "Saving for retirement is really important. And if you just set aside a little bit per day, you won’t even feel the contributions coming out of your paycheck. For example: think about how many times you go for that morning coffee at Starbucks. Now do the math. $5 per day x 7 days a week x 52 weeks in a year..." When it’s framed like that, it’s hard to argue that a daily Starbucks fix can add up to a pretty hefty dent in your bank account. Yet interestingly, roughly a week ago, Starbucks became the first brand to surpass the 10-million-fan mark...

ADVERTISING AGE — Starbucks has a well-earned rep as an outstanding marketer that really does get social media. Which is why it didn't surprise me it was an early adopter on Foursquare. What did surprise me: When I went to take advantage of Starbucks' recently ended Foursquare promotion, neither the barista nor the manager had any idea what I was talking about. So much for cashing in on my mayorship with a discounted caramel frappuccino. Really, Starbucks? How difficult is it to send an e-mail to your managers outlining the campaign details?...

MARKETINGPROFS — Meanwhile, check out these lessons to be learned from last year’s videos and this year’s previews. They’re full of fantastic, practical ideas on how to get people talking about you. Here are a few of our favorite tips from WOMs presenting this year, too. A few of our favorites: 1. "Delightful surprises earn long-term customer love." (Tony Hsieh, Zappos) - As a preview for Tony’s keynote, we sat down with him to talk love, happiness, and word of mouth. One of Tony’s key points is that some of the biggest triggers of Zappos’ word of mouth is when they surprise and delight their customers. In our interview, he goes in depth on how they do it...

MASHABLE — Brand management in the current era means not just keeping an ever-present eye on the social web, but also engaging in meaningful ways with brand advocates and detractors. Professionals in the field have come to accept social media as crucial to their jobs, but most know that managing a company’s brand on the web is so much more than setting up shop on social sites like Twitter and Facebook. Here we’ll give you an inside look at the strategies of avant garde industry leaders who’ve spent years figuring out how to move beyond social media hype and implement practical management practices into their daily work routines...

CLICKZ — Foursquare's 200-yard location range for special offers will soon be increased for lesser-populated locales, the geo-social company revealed in a blog last week. Retail chains like Chili's Bar & Grill and Starbucks - with locations in strip malls and shopping plazas - stand to benefit significantly. They will be able to pitch offers to consumers who may be nearby but still a stretch of parking lots away. "We haven't actually extended the ranges for specials yet, but we will be extending them in suburban areas in the future," Foursquare spokesperson Erin Gleason told ClickZ. "Our goal is to surface more specials for users in less densely populated areas and also to allow businesses in these areas - including Chili's - to reach more Foursquare users"...