RSW US

08/04/2026

AI email summaries are increasingly deciding what gets surfaced (and what gets ignored), before a recipient even engages.

In Episode 2 of "Business Development from the Ground Up," we look at three familiar outreach habits that AI summaries can make even less effective:

➤ Filler introductions
➤ Overloaded first emails
➤ Vague or overly clever subject lines

The good news: the fix is not complicated. Clear, relevant outreach has always mattered. Now, it matters before your prospect has even opened the message.

Watch the episode:

AI Email Summaries Are Exposing Bad Outreach Habits Agencies Should...

08/03/2026

“We serve everyone” can sound like opportunity internally.

To a prospect, it can sound like a lack of focus.

True specialization gives an agency a clear point of view that larger, broader competitors may not be able to claim credibly.

And it does not have to mean serving one narrow vertical.

An agency can own a broader market space, such as healthy living, complex B2B, cross-cultural marketing, or data-backed creative, while still working across multiple related categories.

The goal is not to limit your agency.

It is to make it easier for the right prospects to understand why you are the right choice.

What space can your agency credibly own?

For more on how agencies can test whether their positioning truly stands out and why that's so important, check out this post:

New RSW/US survey data reveals why most agency positioning sounds alike, and what small and mid-sized agencies can do to actually stand out.

07/30/2026

Your prospecting email may be summarized before your recipient ever reads it.

Apple, Google, and Microsoft are changing how outreach appears in your inbox—and the differences matter for agencies trying to earn the open.

In the first episode of RSW/US’s Business Development from the Ground Up, we look at how AI email summaries are reshaping the first impression of your message.

We cover:
• What different email platforms prioritize
• Why the first 150-200 characters matter more than ever
• How images and formatting can affect what gets surfaced
• What agencies should consider before sending their next campaign

This is Part 1 of a four-part series on AI email summaries and prospecting.

▶️ Watch the full episode now, and subscribe to the RSW/US channel for new episodes each week.

Watch here: https://youtu.be/VxDGyodSMZE

Subscribe to our channel here: https://l1nq.com/ibb7uwa

07/29/2026

Most agency outreach tries to say too much, too soon.

The better approach: 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗯𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 + 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗮𝘀𝗸.

Why? Emails built around that simple structure generate reply rates around 9%—well above the 5.8% average.

That matters even more now that inbox AI can summarize your email before a prospect fully reads it.

If your first-touch message includes your capabilities, credentials, case studies, service list, and a meeting request, an AI summary (or a busy prospect) has to guess what matters.

❌ 𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘀.

Your first email does not need to win the account. It needs to earn a response.

Curious: what’s one thing you’ve removed from your outreach to make it more focused?

07/22/2026

Most agencies don’t have a new business problem.

They have a consistency problem.

When client work ramps up, outreach stops.
When a project ends or revenue slows, outreach starts again.

That cycle makes growth unpredictable.

Prospecting should not depend on how busy the agency is any given month. It needs an owner, a process, and a regular cadence—regardless of client deadlines.

The agencies that protect time for new business are better positioned to:
• Build relationships before they need them
• Stay visible with ideal prospects
• Avoid reactive, last-minute selling
• Reduce the feast-or-famine cycle

Client delivery matters. But so does protecting the pipeline that funds future delivery.

Check out this interview with RSW/US Founder/President Mark Sneider for practical ideas on building a sustainable agency growth engine: https://www.rswus.com/agency-new-business-development-mark-sneider/

How consistent is your agency’s new business outreach?

Agency new business development is a struggle for most firms. Mark Sneider of RSW/US explains how to build a consistent outreach engine.

07/17/2026

We surveyed marketing agencies across North America this past June to measure agency positioning and AI search readiness heading into 2026.

The results point to the same blind spot showing up in two different places: how agencies talk about themselves, and how ready their sites are for AI-mediated search.

DL it here: https://www.rswus.com/survey/agency-positioning-ai-search-readiness-2026/

07/16/2026

Your New Business Director is an engine—not a foundation.

They can build momentum, open doors, and create pipeline. But they need sharp positioning, protected prospecting time, and firm-wide support to perform.

Are you setting your NBD up to succeed, or asking them to fix everything alone?

Read Lee McKnight Jr.’s full post, “Your New Business Director Isn’t a Silver Bullet,” here:

Your New Business Director is not a silver bullet. Set realistic expectations and avoid 4 common traps that sabotage agency growth.

07/14/2026

The cobbler’s children problem is real: agencies spend their best thinking on clients, while their own positioning is built internally and rarely stress-tested. Our 2026 report shows 85% took an entirely in-house approach—with no outside validation.

Download our latest report at no cost, here: https://www.rswus.com/survey/agency-positioning-ai-search-readiness-2026/

07/13/2026

3 Business Development eBooks You'll Want To Keep

We’ve created three practical eBooks for agencies, PR firms, and marketing services companies looking to build a stronger pipeline:

→ Agency Identity Guide: Clarify your positioning and improve how AI search tools understand your firm.

→ First Meeting Blueprint: 20+ practical ways to earn conversations with prospects who do not know you yet.

→ 30-Day Win-Back Challenge: A structured approach for reengaging dormant prospects without becoming a nuisance.

Each guide is built around one goal: helping your team create more meaningful opportunities through clear positioning, consistent outreach, and thoughtful follow-up.

Download one or all of them for free, here: https://www.rswus.com/business-development-guides-one-pagers/

Curious: which area would make the biggest difference for your firm right now: positioning, first meetings, or reviving stalled opportunities?

07/10/2026

Congratulations to Grace Frye on 8 years with RSW/US!

We truly appreciate all the work she does for the company and for our clients.

Thanks for everything you do, Grace!