The Recommendation Ladder: How B2B Brands Move From Mentioned to Selected in AI Search
AI visibility is not enough. The Recommendation Ladder shows how B2B brands move from being mentioned by AI to being cited, compared, recommended, and selected.
$354MRevenue
74%Win Rate
12+Markets
15+Yrs Global
Marketing Leader · Builder · Operator
OnCon Icon · Top 50 Marketer · 2025
Erik R. Miller
15+ years. Four continents.
Still finds this stuff fascinating.
I partner with founders, executives, and business owners who believe great marketing builds real businesses — and want someone who will roll up their sleeves and build it with them.
Latest from The Operator
All posts →Answer Engine Optimization for B2B: How to Become the Vendor AI Recommends
Your buyers build the vendor shortlist inside AI before they ever contact sales. The four-layer AI Visibility Architecture for becoming the source AI cites and recommends.
The Agentic Execution Gap: Why 90% of AI Agent Initiatives Never Reach Operational Scale
Most AI agent initiatives fail on execution, not technology. The Agentic Value Decay Curve and the five-layer ERM Agentic Execution Framework.
The Revenue Execution Gap: Why Great Strategies Fail to Deliver Results
The average company realizes only 63% of its strategy — because execution loss is multiplicative, not additive. The Law of Execution Decay and the five-layer ERM Revenue Execution Gap Framework.
What People Say
From the people who've been in the room.
"His ability to distill complex challenges into clear, actionable strategies is nothing short of remarkable. His insights into managing global initiatives have reshaped how I lead, empowering me to execute with clarity and purpose."
"His leadership made a huge difference — combining clear strategic vision with an approachable, collaborative style that empowered the entire team. What stood out most was how invested he was in the team's success."
"Senior leadership greatly trusted Erik, frequently turning to him to tackle complex challenges and deliver results. His versatility is unparalleled — whether leading teams locally or across continents, he creates an environment that encourages growth."
Free Resources
Templates & Frameworks
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ICP Development Framework
Firmographic, technographic, and behavioral signals structured into a repeatable definition process.
Download free →◈
B2B Content Strategy Canvas
Map content to buyer stage, persona, and sales play. Includes editorial calendar and distribution checklist.
Download free →◎
AI Adoption Playbook for Marketing
Introduce AI into your marketing workflow without chaos — tool stack, governance, and training framework.
Download free →
E.R.M.
Advisory
Services
Series B SaaS to Main Street — I build what you actually need.
B2B Tech · Professional Services · Managed Services · SMB · Startups · PE-Backed · Main Street
GTM Architecture
ICP, messaging hierarchy, channel strategy, and pipeline attribution built for scale from day one.
Brand & Positioning
Market positioning and narrative that makes you the obvious choice — not just the loudest voice.
ABM Programs
Account-based campaigns from target list to close — mapped to real named accounts in your CRM.
Demand Generation
Full-funnel demand as a system — content, paid, SEO, and nurture working together, not in silos.
Content Strategy
Editorial planning and AI-assisted production that positions you as the authority and generates pipeline.
Marketing Ops & AI
Stack, attribution, reporting, and AI workflow adoption. The layer most teams skip — and always regret.
Sales Enablement
Proposals, battlecards, and pitch materials that actually get used. Built with sales, not handed to them.
Marketing Audit
A scoped diagnostic — gaps, quick wins, and a 90-day roadmap. The natural first step for any engagement.
How I Work
Plug in. Orient fast. Build something real.
I work at every scale
From a global marketing org to a solo founder who needs their first real funnel. The tools differ. The thinking is the same.
I'm not a consultant — I'm an operator
I sit with the sales team, understand the customer, and build with my hands — not just my opinions.
I bring AI into everything
Real workflows, not buzzwords. Content pipelines, research automation, reporting systems — built and in use, saving hours every week.
I leave things better than I found them
Whatever I build, I document and hand off cleanly. Your team should be stronger when I leave than when I arrived.
ERM Advisory · Intellectual Property Library
Featured Frameworks
ABM · Operating Model
Signal-Centric ABM Operating Model
Replace campaign-centric ABM with a signal-driven account intelligence system — dynamically orchestrated around buyer readiness, not marketing schedules.
Read Framework
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Buying Groups · ABM
Buying Group Mapping Framework
Identify, map, and prioritize every stakeholder in the B2B buying committee — roles, influence levels, and optimal engagement sequences.
Read Framework
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Strategy · Rev Ops
Marketing Execution Gap Framework
Diagnose and close the gap between marketing strategy and what actually ships — the five execution killers and a 90-day remediation roadmap.
Read Framework
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Stay Sharp
B2B marketing intel, three times a week.
No fluff. Frameworks, tactics, and honest takes from someone who has built the function — not just advised on it.
Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Unsubscribe anytime.
Work Together
Let's build
something real.
Whether you need fractional CMO support, a GTM audit, or help with a specific program — tell me what you're working on. I respond personally within one business day.
Fractional CMO engagements
Project-based advisory
Full-time roles considered
Message received.
Erik will reply personally within one business day.