Someone has found you online, liked what they saw, and sent you an enquiry. They want to know what you charge for their event. This is the moment that determines whether you get the booking or whether they move on to the next magician on their list.
Most performers treat this moment as a formality. They reply with a number, maybe a sentence or two, and wait. When they do not hear back, they assume the price was too high. But more often than not, the problem is not the price. A quote is a sales document, and it needs to work as hard as any other part of your marketing - most quotes simply do not.
The Problem With Most Quotes
Imagine you are planning a corporate dinner for two hundred people. You send enquiries to three magicians. The first replies with: "My fee for a corporate event is €800. Let me know if you want to proceed." The second does not reply at all. The third sends you a thoughtful email that mentions the specific venue you named, describes exactly what they would do at your event, explains what your guests will experience, and includes a clear price with a breakdown of what it covers.
Which one do you book? Almost certainly the third, even if their price is the highest of the three.
The difference is that the third quote does something the others do not. It demonstrates that the magician actually read and understood the enquiry, thought about this specific event rather than copying and pasting a template, and communicated the value of what they offer rather than just the cost.
What a Strong Quote Must Do
Before you write a single word, think about what your quote needs to accomplish. The client must get the sense that you genuinely understand their occasion - and that only happens through specific, concrete descriptions rather than general capability lists. They need to be able to picture what the evening looks like with you in it. The investment should justify itself before they have to ask. And the next step cannot leave any ambiguity.
A quote that achieves all of this will convert at a significantly higher rate than one that only states a price, regardless of whether that price is high or low.
The Structure of a Winning Quote
Start with a personalised opening. Reference something specific from their enquiry. Mention the date, the occasion, the venue, or something they told you about their event. This signals immediately that you read their message carefully and are responding to their specific situation rather than sending a form reply.
Describe what you will do at their event. Do not just list your services in abstract terms. Paint a picture of the evening. Tell them what their guests will experience from the moment you arrive until you leave. "Your guests will gather around as a signed card appears inside a sealed bottle" is more persuasive than "close-up magic and card tricks."
Address the format clearly. How long will you perform? Where in the venue will you work? How many guests can you reach? Clients who have never hired a magician before often have no idea what to expect. Answering these questions before they ask them removes uncertainty - and uncertainty is the enemy of a confirmed booking.
State your price clearly and explain what it includes. Do not bury the price or make the client ask twice. State it clearly, and immediately after, tell them what it covers: preparation, travel within a certain radius, the performance itself, any follow-up. If there are optional add-ons, present them separately rather than bundling everything into a confusing total.
Include social proof. A brief mention of a similar event you have performed at, or a specific client testimonial relevant to their occasion, is far more persuasive than any self-description. "I recently performed at a similar corporate dinner for a client in the financial sector and received this feedback" is concrete and credible in a way that "I am highly experienced" simply is not.
Make the next step obvious. End with a single, clear call to action. Do not ask them to "get back to you when they have decided." Tell them exactly what to do: "To confirm your date, simply reply to this email and I will send over a simple booking agreement."
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Sending a quote the same day as a templated copy-paste response is better than not responding, but it is not enough. Take a few minutes to personalise it even if you are busy. Three minutes of personalisation effort can be the difference between a confirmed booking and silence.
Overwhelming the client with options is a common mistake. Do not send three different packages with twelve variables. Present one clear recommendation for their event, and mention briefly that you can adjust if they have a different budget in mind.
Waiting too long to follow up costs bookings. If you have not heard back after five days, send a brief, friendly follow-up message. Most clients are busy and need a gentle reminder rather than a decision to ignore you. And if a client says the price is too high, the right response is to offer a smaller scope at a lower price - immediately discounting the same thing sends a signal that undermines your positioning.
Following Up Without Being Annoying
The follow-up is one of the most important and most neglected parts of the quoting process. Most clients who do not respond are not saying no. They are busy, they have not had time to discuss it with a partner or colleague, or your email got buried.
A good follow-up arrives five to seven days after the quote and is short and direct. Reference your previous email, ask if they have any questions, and reiterate the key date or reason to act soon if there is one. Do not apologise for following up - you are doing them a service by making it easy to move forward.
If you still hear nothing after a second follow-up, let it go. Three contacts is a reasonable limit.
The Quote as a Reflection of Your Professionalism
Everything about your quote communicates something about you. How quickly you respond says something about your reliability. How carefully you read the enquiry says something about how you will handle the event. A well-crafted quote does not just win this booking - it sets the tone for the entire client relationship. When someone books you after receiving a thoughtful, professional quote, they arrive at the event with stronger confidence in you. That makes everything that follows easier.
Treat every enquiry as an opportunity to demonstrate your professionalism before you have even set foot in the venue.