// Route code

Route::get('/test/excel', function() {
    $zip_file = 'invoices.zip'; // Name of our archive to download

    // Initializing PHP class
    $zip = new \ZipArchive();
    $zip->open($zip_file, \ZipArchive::CREATE | \ZipArchive::OVERWRITE);

    $invoice_file = 'app/exports/file.xls'; // This is a storage file path - as in, storage/app/exports/file.xls

    // Adding file: second parameter is what will the path inside of the archive
    // So it will create another folder called "storage/" inside ZIP, and put the file there.
    $zip->addFile(storage_path($invoice_file), $invoice_file);
    $zip->close();

    // We return the file immediately after download
    event(new TestExcel($zip_file));

    flash()->success('test');

    return redirect('/contacts');
});

// Event code

<?php

namespace App\Events;

use App\Events\Event;
use Illuminate\Queue\SerializesModels;
use Illuminate\Contracts\Broadcasting\ShouldBroadcast;

class TestExcel extends Event
{
    use SerializesModels;

    /*
     * get the require info for sending email
     */
    public $contact;
    public $errors;

    /**
     * Create a new event instance.
     *
     * @return void
     */
    public function __construct($zip_file)
    {
        $this->zip_file = $zip_file;
    }

    /**
     * Get the channels the event should be broadcast on.
     *
     * @return array
     */
    public function broadcastOn()
    {
        return [];
    }
}

// Listener code

<?php

namespace App\Listeners;

use App\Events\Interactions\InteractionsEmailError;
use App\Events\TestExcel;
use App\Mail\Mailers\ComplexMailable;
use App\Mail\Mailers\SimpleMailable;
use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Mail;

class WhenTestExcel
{
    /**
     * Create the event listener.
     *
     * @return void
     */
    public function __construct()
    {
        //
    }

    /**
     * Handle the event.
     *
     * @param  InteractionsEmailError $event
     * @return void
     */
    public function handle(TestExcel $event)
    {
        $this->sendInteractionsEmail($event->zip_file);
    }

    public function sendInteractionsEmail($zip_file)
    {
        $data = [
            'view' => 'emails.leads.referrals.referrers_to_be_contacted',
            'subject' => 'CRM Lead Referrers Report',
            'attachments' => $zip_file,
            'content' => 'Find attached details of the referrers who requested to be contacted.',
            'to' => 'clientservice@cytonn.com',
        ];

        Mail::send(new ComplexMailable($data));
    }
}