How to Win Event Bookings Faster With a Message Box on Your Quote

Every event business has a version of this: a client receives the quote, has three questions, sends them by email, you reply the next day, they ask two more, you reply again, and by the time all the questions are answered the quote is four days old and they've had two others in their inbox.
A message box built directly into the quote changes that entirely. The client opens the quote, sees the conversation tab, asks their questions, and gets answers in the same place they're deciding whether to book. No email chain. No delays. A booking that moves from enquiry to confirmed in hours instead of days.
Here's how it works in GoodEvent Business — and how it connects to your floor plans, digital documents, and delivery notes so the client has everything they need in one place before the event.

The Inquiry-to-Quote Flow

Before the message tool comes into play, there's a step worth building: an enquiry form on your website that feeds directly into GoodEvent Business. When a client submits an enquiry this way, their details — event date, event address, any images or documents they've attached — land in your enquiry tab automatically. You don't need to re-enter their information. You open it, build the quote, and you're already halfway there.
For the quote itself, sample quote templates are one of the most underused features in GoodEvent Business. Most event businesses assume their jobs are completely bespoke — but when you break down a typical booking, 50 to 70% of the line items are often identical. A marquee, floor, linings, and lighting appear on almost every wedding job. Build that as a sample quote and the base quote is ready in seconds. You're customising from there, not building from scratch.

Turning the Message Box On

By default, the messaging feature on a quote is switched off. This is intentional — some businesses won't want every client able to message directly through the quote, and that's fine. When you do want to use it, you enable it in two places: once in your account settings under Communication, and then per quote by scrolling down and clicking Enable on that specific booking.
When you enable it, the client receives an email automatically: their quote is ready, and if they have any questions they can message directly from the quote. No separate platform. No WhatsApp. The conversation stays attached to the booking.

What the Client Experience Looks Like

The client opens the quote link on their phone. On the left side of the screen there's a message tab. They can see their quote — with images of the hire items, pricing, terms and conditions — and ask questions in the same view.
If they ask for optional extras, you add them from the quote management page and the items appear in the client's quote immediately. No resending. No 'please see the updated version attached.' The quote updates live and the client sees it straight away.
If they ask for a floor plan, you share the GoodEvent Layout link directly into the message box. The client clicks it and opens the interactive floor plan in a read-only view — they can see it, zoom in, print it, but they can't edit it. The floor plan stays attached to the conversation.
'Feedback from clients has been positive, with clients stating they love being able to see the images, plans, and quotes all in one place and to be able to share this with their partners or family via the portal.' — Guys, Vibert Marquees

Using GoodEvent Docs Through the Quote

The message box also works as the channel for sending digital documents. If you need the client to fill in a site survey — ground type, access details, any restrictions — build the form in GoodEvent Docs, copy the link, and drop it into the quote conversation.
The client opens the form, fills it in, and submits. The data goes straight into your GoodEvent Docs dashboard, timestamped and stored, ready to pull up whenever you need it. You can attach it to load lists and delivery notes later so the crew have the access information they need before they arrive on site.
This matters for any outdoor event where the access or ground conditions affect the setup — but it applies equally to any pre-event information collection: dietary requirements, venue contact details, ceremony timings, special requests. One form, submitted once, stored and accessible to anyone who needs it.

Confirming the Booking and Signing Terms

When the client is ready to book, the confirmation and signature happen in the same place. You confirm the booking from your end. The client signs the terms and conditions directly on the quote — typing their name and accepting — and the signed terms are attached to the booking permanently.
You can then copy the signed terms link and drop it into the message box as confirmation: here are your signed terms. The client has everything in one place: the quote, the signed terms, the floor plan, the completed site survey form, and the delivery note when it's ready.
That completeness matters. Clients who have everything they need for their event in one accessible place feel more looked-after. That feeling translates to reviews, referrals, and repeat business.
'Good Event has revolutionised the way we work here at South Coast Marquees. It's saved us time, enabled us to respond quickly to prospective clients with a far more professional looking quotation system and therefore won us more business.' — Becki, South Coast Marquees

The Delivery Note to Round It Off

The last message in the conversation thread is usually the delivery note. Once the job is confirmed and the event is approaching, you drop the delivery note link into the message box: arriving at 12 on Monday, here are the details, let us know if anything's changed.
The client has the delivery information in the same conversation thread as everything else about the booking. If they have a question about the delivery, they can reply in the same place.

Why This Wins Bookings Faster

The reason this approach closes bookings quicker isn't a single feature — it's the removal of friction at every step. The enquiry lands automatically so you're quoting immediately. The sample quote means the base is ready in seconds. The message box means questions get answered in the same place the client is deciding. The floor plan link, the documents, the signed terms, the delivery note — all of it stays in one conversation attached to one booking.
Compare that to the alternative: email threads, PDF attachments, separate WhatsApp conversations, a handover form on a clipboard in the van, terms signed on a paper contract that lives in a filing cabinet. The client experience of the first approach feels professional and responsive. The client experience of the second feels like they're doing your admin for you.
'Now 8 times out of 10 I build quotes with clients whilst on a site visit. My clients absolutely love it because they are not waiting around for me to email them a price — they receive it instantly. I know my competition are not doing this, which is an advantage.' — Paul, Monaco Events

All Messages Tracked in One Place

Every message in every booking conversation is tracked in GoodEvent Business. At the bottom of each booking you can see the full message history. If a client referred to something they asked three months ago, or if you need to check what was agreed before a last-minute change, it's there.
This also matters for disputes. If a client claims something was agreed that wasn't, the message record shows exactly what was said and when. Same principle as the signed terms and the digital documents — the records exist when you need them.

Who This Is For

The messaging feature in GoodEvent Business works for any event business that sends quotes to clients: marquee hire, furniture and equipment rental, wedding suppliers, corporate event companies, catering, AV, staging, or any hire business taking client enquiries.
The tool connection — message box to floor plan to digital documents to delivery note — means the full client journey from enquiry to event day runs through one place, rather than across five different tools that don't talk to each other.

Get Started

Start a free trial at goodevent.com/products/business. For the floor plan tool that connects directly to quotes, see GoodEvent Layout. For digital forms and site surveys, see GoodEvent Docs. For site planning maps to share with clients and crew, see GoodEvent Maps.