Find local businesses already buying ads: AI agent prompt
Build a prospect list of businesses already advertising in your area, check that they actually serve your market and collect their published contact details, like the weekend agent John Apolinar set up with Hermes and ChatGPT/Codex for his local media company.
SalesProspect researchbeginnerThe prompt
Help me build a prospect list for selling [ad space / my service] in [city or region]. Find businesses that are already advertising locally (for example in local papers, radio, billboards, local social ads, or sponsorships) in these categories: [list]. For each one, check whether they actually serve [my area] and note how you confirmed it. Collect only contact details they publish themselves (website contact page, listed phone or email, booking page), plus the source link. Put it in a table: business, category, where they advertise, serves my area (yes/no/unsure), published contact, source. Skip anyone you can't confirm, and don't contact anyone.
How to use it
- Copy the prompt above.
- Replace every [bracket] with your own details (or fill in the blanks on AgentPlaybook Real Estate, which remembers your answers for the next prompt).
- Paste it into ChatGPT, Codex, Claude and review the answer before you use it.
Works with: ChatGPT, Codex, Claude, Hermes, Google Sheets
Real-world example: x.com/itsjohnapolinar/status/2110370396188860489
Featured in: Free AI agent prompts for small business (beginner-friendly) · AI prompts for Google Sheets and Excel work · AI prompts for marketing agencies, consultants and freelancers
Before you use it: what to check
Already built into this prompt
- Skip anyone you can't confirm, and don't contact anyone.
- Collect only contact details they publish themselves (website contact page, listed phone or email, booking page), plus the source link.
- Put it in a table: business, category, where they advertise, serves my area (yes/no/unsure), published contact, source.
Check yourself
- Remove names, contact details, account numbers and other personal data the task doesn't need before you paste, and check your AI tool's data and training settings.
- Read and edit the draft before it reaches a customer or goes public. If you later automate this prompt, start with "draft and notify me", not "send automatically".
- Check names, dates, numbers and any claim against your own source material before you use the answer. AI can misread or invent details.
Using an AI agent? Download this prompt as a SKILL.md agent skill with these checks built in, or get the .zip for Claude.ai. How to install skills.
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