Sample email from REI

[lhill]

I could only find what NOT to say in Sue’s posting, not what TO say, but maybe I missed it because I seem to only have time to quickly skim everything these days!

I thought I would share a sample email I liked.

I have been reading all the updates from travel companies and I think I like this one the best. It is from REI travel. I hope the hyperlinks to CDC, WHO, etc. come through.

Of course their flexibility in terms is not something everyone can offer. Additionally we all know now that insurance is not helping unless pax have CFAR. REI chooses to not address this but to encourage pax to understand their policies. Mainly, I like the first couple paragraphs and have been copying and pasting and tweaking in my communications. Wishing everyone the best!

*********
Dear REI Traveler,

REI is monitoring the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation and we are working to keep travelers informed as the situation develops. This includes monitoring the U.S. State Department, CDC and WHO websites and keeping in contact with our local teams for updates.

Currently, REI is planning to run our scheduled departures as planned. There are some elevated travel advisories or warnings from the U.S. State Department, CDC or WHO for destinations where REI operates trips. For travelers routing through China, South Korea, Italy, Japan or other affected areas, please contact your flight provider as those flights may have been changed due to travel restrictions.

The decision to travel is a personal one. To provide you with flexibility in your travel plans, if you wish to cancel or transfer to another trip or date due to travel health or safety concerns related to coronavirus, REI is currently waiving our change and cancellation fees. We invite you to contact us at 1-800-622-2236 if you have questions or concerns about your current travel plans. We encourage all travelers to review applicable travel alerts and information from the sources above, and look forward to additional future updates from REI.

In addition, we highly recommend the purchase of travel insurance. REI has partnered with TripAssure to create custom plans that meet the needs of our active adventure travelers. TripAssure provides industry leading coverage that includes trip cancellation/trip interruption, emergency medical evacuation and treatment, and protection for your flights and baggage. Please review in detail the terms and conditions of your policy to completely understand what the policy does and does not cover.

To purchase insurance or to obtain more information, visit TripAssure online or call TripAssure directly at 1-844-287-8430 for detailed plan information. Refer to plan R775 so they know that you are traveling with REI, and so the customer service staff can answer specific questions and help you purchase the insurance policy that is right for you.

[SpeakerSue]

Thanks for taking the time to post. You’re right this is a great example of an authentic, helpful, positive message.

A suggestion to make the email better is to skip the part about monitoring the situation. Instead, start with positive, comfort words and truth. Using this REI example, I might begin with:

Hi REI traveler,
You’re likely wondering what to do about your upcoming travel and you can depend on us to be fully transparent with you. We will make it as easy as possible for you to make the best decision for your well-being.

Please notice I started by “making a friend” with my traveler by letting them know that I get what they’re going through. (You could say, “You’re likely so disappointed….” or “You’re likely trying to make an informed decision…” or whatever sounds right to you. But keep it positive and focused on them.

What to do:
Make a friend.
Use authentic, emotionally pleasing words.
Stay positive.
Tell them what will help them.

See you at the roundtable so we can dive deeper into what works now.

Thanks again!

[lhill]

I love it! Thank you so much, Sue!

[Author]

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