find-marketing-agency
The find-marketing-agency Claude Code skill queries the ServiceGraph API to identify, filter, and gather intelligence on US marketing agencies across services including branding, content marketing, PPC, social media, email marketing, video production, and full-service digital work. Use it when a user requests shortlisting, vetting, or enriching marketing agencies by location, industry, service type, or other criteria, but skip pure SEO, web development, recruiting requests, or consumer-brand asks.
git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/nostrband/ServiceGraph /tmp/find-marketing-agency && cp -r /tmp/find-marketing-agency/skills/find-marketing-agency ~/.claude/skills/find-marketing-agencySKILL.md
# find-marketing-agency
Drive the **ServiceGraph API** (`https://api.servicegraph.co`) to find,
shortlist, and enrich US marketing agencies via the `pro_services`
dataset. The catalog has tens of thousands of US marketing firms
tagged across ~26 service sub-tags including `branding`,
`content-marketing`, `ppc`, `social-media-marketing`, `email-marketing`,
`web-design`, `video-production`, `inbound-marketing`,
`marketing-strategy`, `conversion-optimization`, and
`ecommerce-marketing`. (Note: there is no `performance-marketing` or
`demand-gen` / `demand-generation` tag — those user-phrasings map to
`inbound-marketing` / `marketing-strategy` / `conversion-optimization`
plus a keyword fallback.)
**Always pin `industry:marketing_agency`.** This skill exists to do
that automatically — the user shouldn't have to think about catalog
taxonomy.
Any HTTP client works (curl, fetch, requests). Examples below use curl.
## Sibling skills — defer when scope is narrow
If the user's ask is **strictly** one of the following, defer to the
dedicated skill:
- Strictly SEO/search-ranking work → `find-seo-agency`
- Strictly web/app/software development → `find-web-developer` /
`find-software-developer`
If the user wants a marketing agency that *also* does SEO or web work
as part of a broader engagement, this skill is correct — pin
`industry:marketing_agency` and add the relevant `service_provided:`
tags.
## MCP server (preferred for authed calls)
If your harness has the ServiceGraph MCP server loaded (recognizable
by tool names containing `servicegraph`), prefer those tools — the
harness handles credentials in its own sandbox via OAuth 2.1 + PKCE,
so no token enters LLM context. Otherwise use the REST flow below.
## API surface (dataset id: `pro_services`)
Every endpoint requires the bearer (`Authorization: Bearer vk_…`).
There is no anonymous tier.
| Endpoint | Cost | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| `GET /v1/datasets/pro_services/fields[?include_values=1&q=]` | free | Filter-field catalog + DSL grammar. Call first per session. |
| `GET /v1/datasets/pro_services/values/:field[?q=&limit=]` | free | Enumerate values for one field. |
| `GET /v1/datasets/pro_services/check?filter=…` | free | Validate a filter. Returns `{valid, normalized}` or `{valid:false, error}`. |
| `POST /v1/datasets/pro_services/translate-intent` | free | `{intent}` → LLM-generated DSL filter + sanity count. |
| `GET /v1/datasets/pro_services/search?filter=…&limit=&offset=` | free | Brief firm cards + per-row `unlock` hint + `total`. |
| `GET /v1/datasets/pro_services/:apex` | free | Single row brief; **detail block only if unlocked**. |
| `POST /v1/datasets/pro_services/unlocks` | **10 credits / firm** | `{apexes:[...]}` ≤100. Atomic batch; 30-day TTL on detail; `was_cached:true` rows free. |
| `GET /v1/me/credits` | free | Balance. |
**Cost model.** Discovery / validation / search / brief reads are
free. Detail (url, phone, email, social, address, full `platforms`
map) costs **10 credits per firm** and lasts **30 days**. Re-fetching
an unlocked firm within TTL is free.
## Auth
Tokens are `vk_*` API keys minted in the dashboard.
**Keep the token out of the LLM context** — never read `.env*` into
your context; dispatch every authed call through a shell wrapper.
1. **Just try the call** through a shell wrapper that sources
`.env.local`:
```bash
( set -a; [ -f .env.local ] && . ./.env.local; set +a;
curl -sS -H "Authorization: Bearer $SERVICEGRAPH_API_KEY" \
'https://api.servicegraph.co/v1/datasets/pro_services/fields' )
```
2. **On `401 unauthorized`**, prompt the user (don't accept the key in chat):
> "Open **https://servicegraph.co/profile/api-keys**, sign in,
> click **Create key**, and copy the `vk_…` value. Then add
> `SERVICEGRAPH_API_KEY=vk_…` to `.env.local` here (or export it
> in your shell). Tell me when done. Please don't paste the key
> into chat."
3. **Retry** the same call after the user signals ready. A later 401
means the key was rotated/revoked — re-prompt.
## Filter DSL
GitHub-search-style.
```
filter := orExpr
orExpr := andExpr ("OR" andExpr)*
andExpr := notExpr (("AND")? notExpr)* # whitespace = implicit AND
notExpr := ("NOT" | "-") notExpr | atom
atom := "(" filter ")" | predicate
predicate:= IDENT op valueOrList | bareword
op := ":" | "=" | ">=" | "<=" | ">" | "<"
valueOrList := value ("," value)*
value := IDENT | NUMBER | tagAtEvidence
tagAtEvidence := IDENT "@" ("low"|"medium"|"high")
bareword := IDENT | NUMBER # → keyword:<bareword>
```
**Four rules that bite:**
1. **AND binds tighter than OR.** `a OR b c` parses as `a OR (b AND c)`. Use parens.
2. **Comma list = OR within one predicate.** `state:CA,NY,TX` = any of three.
3. **Negation is `-x` or `NOT x`.** `state:CA,-NY` is rejected; use `state:CA -state:NY`.
4. **Bareword = keyword search.** Free-text substring across name / brand / title / meta / legal_name. Multiple barewords AND. Wrap multi-word phrases in double quotes (`keyword:"foo bar"`).
**Marketing-flavored examples** (validate yours with `/check`):
```
industry:marketing_agency service_provided:branding@high
industry:marketing_agency service_provided:ppc service_provided:content-marketing
industry:marketing_agency state:CA,NY -company_size_signal:solo
industry:marketing_agency (service_provided:inbound-marketing@high OR service_provided:marketing-strategy@high)
b2b industry:marketing_agency service_provided:content-marketing@high
industry:marketing_agency rating>=4 review_count_total>=20 has:clutch
industry:marketing_agency NOT (service_provided:seo OR service_provided:web-development)
```
## Identifying firms — `apex`
Firms are identified by their **apex domain** (`ogilvy.com`, not
`www.ogilvy.com/about`). Strip user-supplied URLs to the apex before
calling `:apex` endpoints or building unlock batches.
## Recipes
### A. Branding agency in a state
User: *"Three B2B branding agencies in California foUse whenever the user wants to find, shortlist, vet, or enrich US AI/ML/data consulting firms (consultancies) — AI/ML development, MLOps, generative AI / LLM apps (RAG, chatbots, agents), computer vision, NLP, recommendation systems, data engineering, BI/analytics. Triggers on "find an AI/ML consulting firm to build our recommendation engine", "shortlist three RAG/LLM consultancies for an enterprise chatbot", "compare three AI/ML consulting firms with strong ratings", or "pull contact info for these 8 AI consultancy domains", even when described indirectly (we want to use AI for X, deploy ML to production). Drives the ServiceGraph API (api.servicegraph.co) — a 100k+ US firm catalog filterable by industry, services, location, size, ratings. Defer to find-software-developer for general app/backend work where AI is just a feature. Skip in-house ML/data hires, LLM/AI-tool comparisons (ChatGPT vs Claude), "how do I fine-tune X" DIY questions, AI courses for individuals, non-US firms, individual freelancers.
Use whenever the user wants to find, rank, or shortlist directories and listing sites where they can submit an AI product — an AI tool, AI app, AI agent, or agent skill / plugin — to get backlinks, referral traffic, and discovery. Triggers on "where can I list my AI tool", "directories to submit my AI agent", "agent-skills directories", "best AI tool directories for backlinks", "where do I get my GPT/Claude app discovered", or "pull submission details for these AI-directory domains", even when described indirectly (we built an AI agent, where do we get it in front of people). Drives the ServiceGraph API (api.servicegraph.co) — a catalog of 1,000+ product directories enriched with Domain Rating, backlinks, and organic traffic. Defer to find-mcp-directories for MCP-server listings specifically, and to find-product-directories for general SaaS/software/app launches with no AI angle. Skip finding an AI consultancy/agency to hire (use find-ai-consultancy), comparing AI products ("ChatGPT vs Claude"), building an AI tool (do-the-work), and AI link-building *services*.
Use whenever the user wants to find, shortlist, vet, or enrich US accounting and tax firms (CPA firms) — financial-statement audit, SOC 1/2 audit, corporate tax, bookkeeping for businesses, advisory/fractional CFO, M&A diligence, 409A valuations, R&D tax credits, IPO readiness, sales-and-use tax. Triggers on "find me a CPA firm for our delaware c-corp series A audit", "shortlist three audit firms with SaaS experience", "we need a tax advisor for our M&A", or "pull contact info for these 10 accounting firm domains", even when described indirectly (audit our books, fractional CFO support, file our 1120). Drives the ServiceGraph API (api.servicegraph.co) — a 100k+ US firm catalog filterable by industry, services, location, size, ratings. Skip personal/consumer tax preparation (1040, individual estate, retirement planning), in-house controller/CFO hires, "how do I file my taxes" DIY questions, accounting-software comparisons (QuickBooks vs Xero), non-US firms, individual freelance bookkeepers.
Use whenever the user wants to find, shortlist, vet, or enrich US cybersecurity firms — pen-testing/red team, security audits, vCISO, SOC 2 readiness, incident response, managed SOC, IAM, cloud security, and AppSec. Triggers on "find me a pen-testing firm for our SOC 2 audit", "shortlist three vCISO services for our healthcare-tech startup", "we need an incident response retainer", or "pull contact info for these 8 security firm domains", even when described indirectly (we got breached, prepare us for the compliance audit, get us SOC 2 ready). Drives the ServiceGraph API (api.servicegraph.co) — a 100k+ US firm catalog filterable by industry, services, location, size, ratings. Skip in-house security hires, "how do I patch CVE-X" or "configure firewall Y" DIY questions, security-product reviews (CrowdStrike vs SentinelOne, etc.), generic security knowledge questions, consumer/personal security advice, non-US firms, individual freelancers and bug-bounty hunters.
Use whenever the user wants to find, shortlist, vet, or enrich US design and creative agencies — graphic design, UX/UI, product design, brand identity, packaging, illustration, motion design, and creative direction. Triggers on "find me a UX/UI design agency for our SaaS product", "shortlist three brand-identity studios in NY", "packaging design firm for a CPG launch", or "pull contact info for these 10 design studio domains", even when described indirectly (brand refresh, design our app, build our visual system). Drives the ServiceGraph API (api.servicegraph.co) — a 100k+ US firm catalog filterable by industry, services, location, size, ratings. Defer to find-marketing-agency for marketing-led engagements where design is one of several services. Defer to find-web-developer when the deliverable is a built website. Skip in-house designer hires, "design me a logo" DIY asks, design-software comparisons, consumer/personal-design (weddings, hobby projects), non-US firms, individual freelancers.
Use whenever the user wants to find, shortlist, vet, or enrich US engineering firms — civil, structural, MEP, mechanical, electrical, geotechnical, transportation, environmental, and manufacturing. **For real-world engineering (buildings, infrastructure, manufacturing) — NOT software engineering.** Triggers on "find civil engineering firms in Florida for transportation", "shortlist three structural engineering firms with high-rise experience", "MEP consultancy for a hospital project", or "pull contact info for these 12 engineering firm domains", even when described indirectly (PE-stamped drawings, building-permit review). Drives the ServiceGraph API (api.servicegraph.co) — a 100k+ US firm catalog filterable by industry, services, location, size, ratings. Defer software-dev / "engineering team" / SaaS-architecture asks to find-software-developer. Skip in-house engineering-manager hires, DIY questions, software-product comparisons (Revit, AutoCAD), non-US firms, individual freelancers.
Use whenever the user wants to find, shortlist, vet, or enrich US B2B law firms — corporate, IP/patent, M&A and securities, employment, commercial litigation, regulatory/compliance, data privacy/cyber, real estate, and tax. Triggers on "find three boutique IP law firms in California", "shortlist M&A counsel for a Series-B fundraise", "patent prosecution for our hardware startup", or "pull contact info for these 10 law firm domains", even when described indirectly (outside counsel, cap-table review, GDPR/SOC2 oversight). Drives the ServiceGraph API (api.servicegraph.co) — a 100k+ US firm catalog filterable by industry, services, location, size, ratings. Skip personal/consumer legal services where the user is the end client (divorce, personal injury, criminal defense, family law, estate planning, wills) — the catalog is B2B-only. Also skip in-house GC hires, "is this NDA enforceable" DIY questions, non-US firms, individual freelancers.
Use whenever the user wants to find, shortlist, vet, or enrich US management consultancies — strategy, operations, executive coaching, leadership development, org-development/change management, PMO/program management, sales/revenue operations consulting. Triggers on "find me three top strategy consultancies in California", "shortlist boutique ops-consulting firms with healthcare experience", "we need an executive coach for our new CEO", or "pull contact info for these 10 consulting firm domains", even when described indirectly (post-merger integration help, change-management partner, fractional COO). Drives the ServiceGraph API (api.servicegraph.co) — a 100k+ US firm catalog filterable by industry, services, location, size, ratings. Skip in-house strategy hires, "help me build a strategy" do-the-work asks, framework comparisons (Lean vs Agile, BCG matrix, etc.), academic/MBA-program questions, life/career coaching for individuals, non-US firms, individual freelancers.