Cold email template for Google Ads management
A cold email that sells PPC management by pointing at a competitor visibly buying their brand name or top keyword while the business relies on organic luck — then offering a free keyword-and-competitor audit as the first win. The signal is verifiable in one Google search, which is what makes the email credible to an owner who has been burned by "guaranteed rankings" pitches before.
The template
Subject lines
- [competitor] is buying "[service] [city]" — [business name] isn't
- Someone's bidding on your name in Google (worth a look?)
- [Business name]: the [service] [city] ads you're not running
Hi [first name],
I searched "[service] [city]" this morning the way a customer would, and [competitor name] and [competitor 2] are running ads at the top of the page — [business name] shows up organic, below the map pack.
Here's why that matters: the three businesses paying for that search are the ones getting the call when someone needs [service] today. Organic placement is great for browsers; the ads box is where same-day customers click.
I manage Google Ads for [business type] in [city]. I'll put together a free one-page audit: the exact keywords [competitor name] bids on, what a realistic click budget looks like for [city], and the two campaign types I'd start with — plus one thing to fix on your landing page before spending anything. Want me to send it over?
[Your name]
PS — no obligation beyond the audit; if the numbers don't make sense for your business, I'll say so in the same document.
Why this template works
PPC is the easiest service to demo with public data — the ads are literally on the results page. Every line makes the owner able to reproduce the observation:
| Part | Job it does |
|---|---|
| Subject: the keyword itself | The owner can search it and see the competitor's ad live |
| "the way a customer would" | Frames the search as demand, not as an audit trick |
| Organic vs ads box | Explains why being listed isn't enough for same-day buyers |
| Named competitors | Two names, checkable in one search — the email becomes urgent |
| One-page audit | Concrete, bounded, free — far easier to accept than "a call" |
| Landing page fix first | Signals expertise: spend after conversion readiness, not before |
| PS: honest-fit promise | Disarms the PPC-scam fear that most owners carry |
Who should use this template?
Use this template if you sell Google Ads / paid search management:
- PPC agencies prospecting local service businesses (dentists, HVAC, legal, med spas)
- Freelance media buyers targeting businesses whose competitors outrank them in Ads
- Marketing agencies adding paid search to a retainer for local clients
- Consultants auditing wasted spend for businesses already running Ads
How to use it (with the data to fill it)
Every bracket in this email must be verified live for that business — the audit's authority comes from the search being reproducible. RadarLeads supplies the list and the signals:
- 1
Build the prospect list by vertical and city
Search any [business type] in [city] and RadarLeads returns businesses with rating, review count, website status and conversion-readiness signals (booking links, contact forms). Well-rated businesses without paid visibility are the perfect match. First 15 leads free — no card.
- 2
Run the customer search per lead
Type "[service] [city]" into Google, screenshot who advertises, and grab two competitor names. Two minutes per lead — and the email you send cannot be confused with a template blast.
- 3
Export, personalize, send
Export the verified email list to Excel/CSV and fill the brackets. Keep batches at 20-30 per day; the audit offer needs a deliverable, so quality beats volume even more than usual.
- 4
Ship the one-page audit if they reply
Keywords the competitors bid on, a realistic [city] click budget, two campaign types, one landing-page fix. Deliver it as a PDF within 24 hours — speed is what separates the agencies that close from the ones that "circle back."
Frequently asked questions
Is it okay to name competitors in a cold email?
Yes, when the observation is public and factual: ads are literally visible on the results page. Name the competitors, describe what they bid on in plain words, and never fabricate their spend or performance. The moment the owner searches and sees exactly what you described, your credibility is established — and one wrong claim would destroy it, so verify every email before it ships.
What should the free audit include for PPC services?
One page: the keywords competitors in [city] visibly bid on, a realistic monthly click budget for the business's service and city, the two campaign types you would launch first, and one conversion-readiness fix on their landing page. Keep it honest — if paid search doesn't fit their economics yet, say so. The audit converts because it demonstrates judgment, not because it promises volume.
How is this different from an SEO cold email?
SEO sells compounding visibility over months; Google Ads sells same-day demand capture. The PPC email therefore anchors on the ads box and "customers who need [service] today," while the SEO email anchors on the map pack and organic loss. Using both emails on the same list from the same sender confuses the offer — pick the service the business's signals actually support first.
Where does the list of businesses to target come from?
RadarLeads scans public business data for any vertical and city and returns each business with rating, review count, website status and a verified contact email. Filtering for well-reviewed businesses without paid visibility gives you the exact segment this template was written for — exportable to Excel/CSV in one click, first 15 leads free.
Need businesses losing the ads box to send this to?
RadarLeads returns local businesses by vertical and city with the signals that tell you who needs paid search — verified emails included. First 15 leads free.
Find Your First Leads7-day trial · 3 searches included