In today’s DIY-Publicity Case Study, artist Matt Snow of Ex-Boyfriend, an apparel company based in Baltimore, Maryland, shared with us how he scored a placement in People Magazine. Here’s how he did it:

Matt contacted People Magazine just by reading the publication and noting the contacts within the sections and in the masthead. Then he emailed the appropriate contact with the following pitch:

Hi!

I’m a Baltimore-based artist with a clothing and accessory label called Ex-Boyfriend. In honor of April’s status as Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month, I’m donating 100% of the proceeds from the sale of my new keychain bottle openers to the Maryland SPCA and shipping them out for free. This fundraising promotion is in conjunction with Ex-Boyfriend’s on-going commitment to donate 5% of all net profits to Maryland animal shelters and rescue organizations, and the bottle opener deal ends on April 17th, culminating with the Maryland SPCA’s annual March for the Animals.

A mention on PeoplePets would be a huge boost for my efforts on behalf of homeless animals, not only in Maryland, but all over the mid-Atlantic region, as the Maryland SPCA often steps up to help over-burdened rescue organizations in PA, DE, WV, VA and even the Caribbean.

If you’d like to help out with a feature on PeoplePets, please visit www.ex-boyfriendcollection.com for more information, or feel free to get in touch with me via email or telephone at (801) XBF-TEES.

Thanks so much for taking the time to read this!

Cheers,

Matt Snow

This pitch secured coverage for Ex-Boyfriend in the People Pet’s Section. Using Matt’s example, here are some great elements you can apply to your own campaign:

• Be familiar with the publication and know what section you’re appropriate for. Matt took the time to read the publication and knew they would be a perfect fit for the Pet section.

• Custom-tailor your pitch to that appropriate section and tell the editor why they should include you.

• Include a newsworthy tie-in – Matt included both the timely element of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month and his charitable contribution as reasons they should include Ex-Boyfriend.

• Keep it short and to the point. There is no lengthy press release here – just a succinct pitch as to why they should receive this exposure!