Search Business Prospects with Natural Language using Claude AI and Explorium MCP

Description

Explorium Prospects Search Chatbot

Template

Download the following json file and import it to a new n8n workflow:

mcp\_to\_prospects\_to\_csv.json

Overview

This n8n workflow creates a chatbot that understands natural language requests for finding business prospects and automatically:

Interprets your query using AI (Claude Sonnet 3.7)
Converts it to proper Explorium API filters
Validates the API request structure
Fetches prospect data from Explorium
Exports results as a downloadable CSV file

Perfect for sales teams, recruiters, and business development professionals who need to quickly find and export targeted prospect lists without learning complex API syntax.

Key Features

Natural Language Interface**: Simply describe who you're looking for in plain English
Smart Query Translation**: AI converts your request to valid API parameters
Built-in Validation**: Ensures API calls meet Explorium's requirements
Error Recovery**: Automatically retries with corrections if validation fails
Pagination Support**: Handles large result sets automatically
CSV Export**: Clean, formatted output ready for CRM import
Conversation Memory**: Maintains context for follow-up queries

Example Queries

The chatbot understands queries like:

"Find marketing directors at SaaS companies in New York with 50-200 employees"
"Get me CTOs from fintech startups in California"
"Show me sales managers at healthcare companies with revenue over $10M"
"Find engineers at Microsoft with 3-5 years experience"
"Get customer service leads from e-commerce companies in Europe"

Prerequisites

Before setting up this workflow, ensure you have:

n8n instance with chat interface enabled
Anthropic API key for Claude
Explorium API credentials (Bearer token) - Get explorium api key
Basic understanding of n8n chat workflows

Supported Filters

The chatbot can search using these criteria:

Company Filters

Size**: 1-10, 11-50, 51-200, 201-500, 501-1000, 1001-5000, 5001-10000, 10001+ employees
Revenue**: Ranges from $0-500K up to $10T+
Age**: 0-3, 3-6, 6-10, 10-20, 20+ years
Location**: Countries, regions, cities
Industry**: Google categories, NAICS codes, LinkedIn categories
Name**: Specific company names

Prospect Filters

Job Level**: CXO, VP, Director, Manager, Senior, Entry, etc.
Department**: Sales, Marketing, Engineering, Finance, HR, etc.
Experience**: Total months and current role duration
Location**: Country and region codes
Contact Info**: Filter by email/phone availability

Installation & Setup

Step 1: Import the Workflow

Copy the workflow JSON from the template
In n8n: Workflows → Add Workflow → Import from File
Paste the JSON and click Import

Step 2: Configure Anthropic Credentials

Click on the Anthropic Chat Model1 node
Under Credentials, click Create New
Add your Anthropic API key
Name: "Anthropic API"
Save credentials

Step 3: Configure Explorium Credentials

You'll need to set up Explorium credentials in two places:

For MCP Client:

Click on the MCP Client node
Under Credentials, create new Header Auth
Add your authentication header (usually Authorization: Bearer YOUR_TOKEN)
Save credentials

For API Calls:

Click on the Prospects API Call node
Use the same Header Auth credentials created above
Verify the API endpoint is correct

Step 4: Activate the Workflow

Save the workflow
Click the Active toggle to enable it
The chat interface will now be available

Step 5: Access the Chat Interface

Click on the When chat message received node
Copy the webhook URL
Access this URL in your browser to start chatting

How It Works

Workflow Architecture

Chat Trigger: Receives natural language queries from users
Memory Buffer: Maintains conversation context
AI Agent: Interprets queries and generates API parameters
Validation: Checks API structure against Explorium requirements
API Call: Fetches prospect data with pagination
Data Processing: Formats results for CSV export
File Conversion: Creates downloadable CSV file

Processing Flow

User Query → AI Interpretation → Validation → API Call → CSV Export
↑ ↓
└──── Error Correction Loop ←──────┘

Validation Rules

The workflow validates:

Filter keys are allowed by Explorium API
Values match expected formats (e.g., valid country codes)
Range filters have proper gte/lte values
No duplicate values in arrays
Required structure is maintained

Usage Guide

Basic Conversation Flow

Start with your query:
"Find me VPs of Sales at software companies in the US"

Bot processes and responds:
Generates API filters
Validates the structure
Fetches data
Returns CSV download link

Refine if needed:
"Can you also include directors and filter for companies with 100+ employees?"
Query Tips

Be specific**: Include job titles, departments, company details
Use standard terms**: "CTO" instead of "Chief Technology Officer"
Specify locations**: Use country names or standard codes
Include size/revenue**: Helps narrow results effectively

Advanced Queries

Combine multiple criteria:

"Find engineering managers and senior engineers at B2B SaaS companies
in New York and California with 50-500 employees and revenue over $5M
who have been in their role for at least 1 year"

Output Format

The CSV file includes:

Prospect ID
Name (first, last, full)
Location (country, region, city)
LinkedIn profile
Experience summary
Skills and interests
Company details
Job information
Business ID

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

"Validation failed" errors

Check that your query uses supported filter values
Ensure location names are spelled correctly
Verify company sizes/revenues match allowed ranges

No results returned

Broaden your search criteria
Check if the company exists in Explorium's database
Verify filter combinations aren't too restrictive

Chat not responding

Ensure workflow is activated
Check all credentials are properly configured
Verify webhook URL is accessible

Large result sets timing out

Try adding more specific filters
Limit results by location or company size
Use the size parameter (max 10,000)

Error Messages

The bot provides clear feedback:

Invalid filters**: Shows which filters aren't supported
Value errors**: Lists correct options for each field
API failures**: Explains connection or authentication issues

Performance Optimization

Best Practices

Start broad, then narrow: Begin with basic criteria and add filters
Use business IDs: When targeting specific companies
Limit by contact info: Add has_email: true for actionable leads
Batch by location: Process regions separately for large searches

API Limits

Maximum 10,000 results per search
Pagination handles up to 100 records per page
Rate limits apply based on your Explorium subscription

Customization Options

Modify AI Behavior

Edit the AI Agent system message to:

Change response format
Add custom filters
Adjust interpretation logic
Include additional instructions

Extend Functionality

Add nodes to:

Send results via email
Import directly to CRM
Schedule recurring searches
Create custom reports

Integration Ideas

Connect to Slack for team queries
Add to CRM workflows
Create lead scoring systems
Build automated outreach campaigns

Security Considerations

API credentials are stored securely in n8n
Chat sessions are isolated
No prospect data is stored permanently
CSV files are generated on-demand

Support Resources

For issues with:

n8n platform**: Check n8n documentation
Explorium API**: Contact Explorium support
Anthropic/Claude**: Refer to Anthropic docs
Workflow logic**: Review node configurations