I joined a professional association once. Over the course of several years and thousands of dollars, this is what I had received for joining: a useful PowerPoint on writing press releases.

That’s all. Obviously, that relationship didn’t last too long. The press releases I’ve constructed since are better, I suppose. Worth my investment into the organization? Eh, nope.

Ask someone why they join a professional association and they’ll offer up networking, educational opportunities, certifications, or representation. All important and vital functions of any association.

Then, ask someone why they won’t renew a membership, or why they’re not interested in joining at all, and they’ll tell you it’s because they didn’t see the personal value in it. There’s just not enough in it for them to justify the expenditure.

A customer is someone who buys something. A member is someone who belongs to something.

We should all aim to have members, even if we don't have a formal membership structure. Members, in this sense, are customers who have developed a deeper, ongoing relationship with your product or brand.

These relationships don’t happen by accident. Some brands can develop deep cult followings, but not all of us can be Apple or Starbucks.

We can however, borrow specific tactics from membership groups designed to build engagement and long-term loyalty.

Start small. Try any of these 20 engagement tactics used by some of the largest membership organizations in the world.

It’s no secret that MoviePass has been making major moves lately in an attempt to stay alive. When it first came out, MoviePass promised its subscribers the ability to view 1 movie a day (365 movies a year) for a low monthly fee of $9.95– a revolutionary new way to see motion pictures affordably.

(New: Only want the latest data? Check out our collection of 2018 loyalty stats.)

Customer brand loyalty is a rich and complex subject to grasp. 

What is it? (Here's a definition.)

How is it earned?

Is it worth the effort?

For your convenience, we've compiled dozens of statistics to help light the way - from how many people are active in loyalty programs to what they're looking to get out of them and how they'd like to be communicated with.

We've tried to make this list as relevant as possible, which means we combed through recent research with a focus on the US (with the occasional global stat thrown in).

These stats are culled from a variety of sources, and we've provided source links for each of them (though some are gateway pages that require you to register or submit your information to receive the actual research).

Sometimes the data conflict with other sources - we'll leave it up to you to decipher which is most accurate.

We'll keep this list updated on a weekly basis with the latest and greatest. If you know of a stat we're missing, or want your own research included in our collection, leave us a note in the comments.

• Customer Loyalty Statistics
• Loyalty Program / Loyalty Marketing Statistics
• Retail / Shopping Loyalty Statistics
• Restaurant Loyalty Statistics
• Mobile / Online Loyalty Statistics
• Travel Loyalty Statistics
• Bank Loyalty Statistics
• Member and Subscriber Engagement & Loyalty Statistics
• B2B Loyalty Statistics

Ever walked away from a brand you love with a sour taste in your mouth after joining their loyalty program? It’s telling that while consumers belong to an average of thirteen loyalty programs, they are only active in about six of those. Clearly, a large percentage of programs are dropping the ball when it comes to connecting with their members.

So then, what is it members expect from their loyalty programs? Well, for starters how about valuable rewards (not a logo’d beer koozy) that are easily redeemable (not points that expire or take forever to accrue before they can even be used).

Let’s take a look at what the world’s best loyalty programs have in common. If you examine the most successful programs – and probably the ones you are active with – they’ll have these four common traits:

 Getting free stuff is great, but…

There’s always a little skepticism that comes with a “free” price tag. What’s wrong with it? Does the quality level match the price? How good can it really be if it’s free?

You get the idea – generally, the lower the price the less you expect from the product or service. So, maybe some things really are worth paying for?

The idea of a free price tag has even higher stakes when it comes to businesses. Free stuff can be risky for a business, especially if it’s going in front of customers. At risk is more than just a few dollars - the cost of reputation and customer perception can be enormous.

Our advice? Buyer beware. If it has your brand on it, then it’s worth an investment.