“2011 may well be called the year of customer loyalty,” says Mark Johnson, CEO of Loyalty 360 – The Loyalty Marketer’s Association. “In today’s crowded marketplace, creating loyal, engaged customers is more important – and more challenging – than ever. That is why we are going to see a number of key trends unfold over the next year.”

Johnson predicts these key trends will dominate the Loyalty Marketing Industry in 2011:

(1) Marketers will increasingly understand that loyalty is not a program—- it is a journey and a strategic business goal. While points programs have been around for a while, from a strategic marketing perspective building true loyalty based on a total customer experience is still relatively new and a burgeoning area most brands. Loyalty initiatives will focus on engagement and building long-term relationships.

(2) Loyalty will focus more on emotions than on rational, incentive-based initiatives.