When I was searching for a school to do my PPL I must have contacted a dozen - on 2 occasions as the first time round time simply didn't permit. I suspect there will be a lot of aspirational PPLs who want to test the waters but simply can't find the time or money to pursue things further.
So for those in the business: what is the ratio of prospective clients to serious customers? 10:1. 100:1? I can easily see how you might get jaded if you're sitting at the phone all day talking to peniless aviation buffs who ultimately never take things further.