Guest Contributor:
Don Stinson, Director of Bands, Joliet Central High School, Joliet, IL
Sometimes you need to give parents a student trip price before every detail is final. Your quote may be based on a projected number of travelers, or some of the itinerary details need to be finalized. Families still need a number they can use for planning.
You don’t have to choose between telling parents nothing and telling them something you can’t stand behind. Give them the number you have and say four things along with it: what kind of number it is, what it covers, what could still change it, and when they’ll hear from you again.
Label the Number Clearly
“This trip costs $1,150” is a sentence families will hold you to. So, if the number isn’t final, don’t use that sentence.
First decide what you can accurately call the number — an estimate, a range, or a confirmed cost. Use the label that matches where you are in the planning process.
Keep referring to the cost with this label until it changes. You know how when you go to the store and there’s not a price tag on something, and someone has to make that joke? “Well, it must be free!” they say, as the cashier rolls their eyes.
The same goes for estimates. If you stop calling an estimate an estimate, it will start sounding like the final cost. If it’s still an estimate in February, call it one in February.
Say It Like This
Estimate: “Our current estimate is $1,200 per student. That’s subject to change as we gather more information.”
Range: “We estimate the trip will cost between $1,100 and $1,250 per student, depending on how many students travel.”
Confirmed: “The confirmed trip cost is $1,150 per student.”
List What’s Included So Far
A preliminary number is more useful when families know what it includes. List the major categories reflected in the current estimate, such as transportation, lodging, meals, and performance or entry fees.
Usually, by the time you’re quoting price estimates to parents, you’re far enough along in the planning process that you know most of the key building blocks of your itinerary. When you share them, you help turn it from a conversation about price to a conversation about value.
Explain What Could Still Change
Inform families if there are still variables that could change the number.
Depending on your trip, that might be a final student count, a vendor contract that hasn’t been signed, a fee that changes with group size, or an add-on your district hasn’t approved.
If you’re working with a travel partner like Bob Rogers Travel, ask which parts of the current estimate are confirmed and which could still change. That gives you something specific to communicate to families instead of a general warning that the price isn’t final.
Listing one or two variables is more useful than a general warning that costs may change. “Prices are subject to change” doesn’t give much context. Instead, try this:
“Two things could still change this number: our final student count and the motorcoach quote we expect to have this fall.”
The second version tells families exactly which pieces are still being worked out. The first doesn’t.
Plan for the Higher Number
If you share two different potential trip costs with parents, they will “anchor” to the one they like best – and that’s going to be the lower number, which will cause headaches if the final cost turns out higher. Better to share the higher number – and if you come in below it, you look like the diligent and conscientious rock star that you are.
Set the Next Update
Instead of just saying, “We’ll keep you updated,” tell families when you expect to have more information.
Name a specific date if possible:
“We expect to have the hotel rate confirmed by Nov. 15, and I’ll send an updated trip cost that week.”
If you can’t give an exact date, list a benchmark instead:
“I’ll send an updated cost once our final headcount is set in December.”
If that date arrives and nothing has changed, send a short note to confirm that the current estimate still stands.
Explain the Change
If the number changes, communicate the new information directly.
State the new number. Say what changed. Explain why, if you know. Then tell families what they need to do next — including when they don’t need to do anything.
“The trip cost is now $1,210 per student, up from our estimate of $1,150. Our final student count came in lower than projected, which raised the per-student motorcoach cost. Your next payment amount and due date are unchanged. I’ll update the Google Drive folder with the payment information this Friday.”
It can be tempting to rationalize the new number. But instead of labeling the new number as high, fair, or a bargain, just state the facts. Families can decide what the number means for them.
Then update the number everywhere it appears. An old number left on a webpage, handout, or form can quickly create confusion.
Before You Call the Update Done
Check every place the number appears:
- Slide deck from your kickoff meeting
- Handout or letter families took home
- Registration or commitment form
- Payment schedule and permission paperwork
- Program or trip webpage
Pick one document to be the current source, date it, and point families there when they ask.
When it comes to dollars and cents, precision matters. Give families the best number you have, label it accurately, explain what could still change, and update it when new information is confirmed.
Whether you’re sharing trip costs or communicating with families about other trip details, clear communication is essential. Learn how to organize your trip communication in this post. For more information about Bob Rogers Travel and the team’s process for developing customized itineraries rooted in your group’s unique goals and vision, reach out here.
