Sustaining RelationshipsA week ago, I woke up in Key West, in a room overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. Today, I woke up at home, overlooking… my dog.

The Gulf of Mexico was (is) breathtaking, as was Harvard Medical School (that’s me in HMS!), but for the long haul, I’ll take my family – which includes my dogs – any day.

Creating initial connections can be a piece of cake. However, maintaining and nurturing those relationships is a whole different ball game. This week’s roundup features seven posts from around the web that focus on sustaining relationships.

1. What is #MindfulSocial?

Why: Are your social media posts speaking at the reader rather than to them? Janet Fouts explores the benefits of #MindfulSocial.

2. The SMBs Cheat Sheet To Better Online Engagement

Why: Between travel, presentations, business development, and life, the task list of the small business owner seems neverending. Lisa Gerber offers some tips for sustaining online engagement.

3. How to Test and Refine Your Google+ Strategy

Why: Is your business recognizing the full potential of Google+? In this guest post for The Social Media Hat, Stephan Hovnanian reviews Steady Demand Pro, a tool that aims to help you get the most out of G+.

4. Relationship Building is My Career

Why: Meaningful connections are essential to any business venture. Deirdre Breakenridge explains why sustaining and cultivating connections is vital to long term success.

5. Quit Asking for Likes On Facebook or Risk a Penalty

Why: Facebook’s getting flooded with spammy attempts from Pages to gain likes. Shelly Kramer reminds us why offering your audience fresh, relevant, high quality original content is still the best way to sustain your community.

6. Extend the Life of Your Event with Post-Event Planning

Why: In this WUL goodie, Lisa Denten of Cision (disclosure: client) offers some great post-event planning steps to help increase your return on events while sustaining relationships.

7. Combine Your Blog Posts And Email Marketing Strategy For Better Results

Why: Do you treat your blogging and email marketing efforts separately or do you integrate them? Tim Bonner discusses how a combined approach can strengthen and sustain your online relationships.

What steps do you take to sustain your online relationships? Please share in the comments below.