The service, called APA Ask, will offer advice on strategy, funding and writing briefs to firms planning to launch customer magazines either in print or online. It will also match up clients with recommended publishing agencies from its 38-strong membership list.
The service is headed up by Patrick Fuller, founder of Haymarket Media Group's customer publishing division, and Julia Hutchison, Starcom's new business and marketing director and the APA's chief operating officer.
"Customer magazines complement DM activity," said Hutchison. "They are an effective retention tool, good at reducing churn and building customer loyalty. A lot of marketers know how to do direct marketing and TV ads, but you mention customer magazines and they don't know where to start."
APA Ask has already assisted the launch of four customer magazines, including Audi's new title with Northstar, and predicts that its prospective client list could bring over £10 million of incremental spend to the industry.
This is the APA's second new initiative in the past six months. Last October, the representative body for customer magazine publishers founded another service called APA Insight.
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