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When Outreach Falls Flat: What 58% of Firms Are Struggling With

When Outreach Falls Flat: What 58% of Firms Are Struggling With

When outreach falls flat: If getting in the door with prospects feels more difficult this year, that’s because it is—but it’s not insurmountable.

From our 2025 Professional Services New Business Survey Report,

58% of professional services firms say the biggest challenge right now is either “fewer opportunities” or “harder to break through.”

Yes, it’s crowded out there (having said that, always has been to different extents).

But the good news is, with a few smart shifts in how you position and follow up, your firm can stand out.

Here’s  our breakdown of the data—and how you can use it to your advantage.

Breaking Through Isn’t Just About Volume

It should not be a newsflash to you that the market has changed.

And many firms are still relying on volume—mostly more (and only) emails—hoping something sticks.

But prospects are more cautious, distracted, and slower to decide, at least for now.

That means your messaging has to be sharper and more relevant than ever.

Leading with “what we do” isn’t enough.

You have to lead with their business challenges, and to an extent what they’re feeling (although be careful here, it can get fluffy)—and how you can help them move forward.

When Outreach Falls Flat: What 58% of Firms Are Struggling With

Ghosting Doesn’t Always Mean “No”

But it sure is frustrating as hell.

Now that I have that off my chest, another stat that stood out?

16% of firms say their biggest obstacle is when prospects go dark after a meeting.

In our experience, silence post-meeting doesn’t always mean disinterest.

Often, it means the ball’s in their court, they’re busy, or the timing’s fuzzy.

The mistake many firms make: they disappear too, or follow up with empty “just checking in” messages.

A Few Things You Can Do Right Now

Let’s get practical. If your outreach and follow-up are feeling stale—or just not converting—try these:

  • Audit your positioning. Are you speaking to outcomes, or just listing services? Does your outreach lead with value or with a pitch?

  • Warm up your warmest leads. Past clients and first-level LinkedIn connections are often the fastest path to traction. Don’t overlook them.

  • Add value between meetings. Share a timely article, a recent win, or a relevant insight. Keep the conversation going in a helpful, not pushy, way.

  • Make the next step clear—before the meeting ends. Admittedly, this is sometimes tough, but even if the second meeting conversation gets tabled, ask and establish when you plan to follow up.

One More Thing

You don’t need a complete overhaul, small adjustments can lead to big wins.

And yes, it’s harder to break through, but we’re still seeing forward momentum.

Outreach falls flat typically because there’s not a consistent, new business engine within the firm.

(And a small plug: At RSW/US, we help firms sharpen their positioning, build better pipelines, and follow up in ways that actually move things forward.)

Breaking through may be harder right now—but that’s exactly what makes it a competitive advantage when you do.

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