Frequently Asked Questions

What is Surmado? (Simple explanation)

We give small businesses the same AI-powered strategic tools that enterprises pay thousands for.

• Signal ($49): 15-minute diagnostic showing how AI systems see your business vs competitors
• Solutions ($49): 15-minute strategic plan from six AI advisors who debate your challenge

How is this different from ChatGPT?

ChatGPT gives you one perspective designed to make you happy. We give you six AI advisors who debate until the truth emerges. Your CMO pushes for growth, your CTO worries about execution, your CFO runs the numbers. Conflict creates clarity.

• Signal deploys a swarm of AI agents acting as your specific customer, running 50+ tests across 6 models
• Solutions isn't one AI - it's six expert advisors who debate from conflicting perspectives. Conflict creates clarity.

What is Signal (the AI Visibility Report)?

Signal is our AI Visibility Report that diagnoses how your business appears across 6 AI platforms when customers search for your services.

What we test:

• ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Llama, Grok, DeepSeek
• 25 agents deployed across the platforms
• Your complete AI visibility landscape

Price: $49 with 7-day money-back guarantee

Do you just ask ChatGPT?

No. We interview 6 AI systems (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Llama, Grok, DeepSeek) with 50+ questions as your actual customer would ask. Each AI is trained on different data sources, so they recommend different businesses. We capture that variance to show you the complete picture, not just one AI's opinion.

Why do I need to describe my customer?

Because AI systems are contextual recommendation engines, not answer machines. A stressed mom searching for restaurants gets completely different recommendations than a business traveler – same city, same AI, different results. We "become" your customer persona to test what they actually see, not generic prompts that produce fantasy data.

What's Ghost Influence?

It's when AI describes what you do but recommends competitors (like if AI says "great authentic tacos" but sends people to Taco Bell). We show you how to claim what's yours and turn that influence into actual recommendations.

What is Solutions (the AI Strategy Engine)?

Solutions is our Strategic AI Analysis service that fixes your business challenges using six AI advisors who debate until the right answer emerges.

It's like having a board meeting with AI executives who analyze your situation from multiple angles.

What if I have financial data?

Your board's CFO advisor transforms from a strategist into a quantitative analyst. When you provide financial inputs (revenue, costs, investment), it doesn't just calculate simple metrics; it builds a full risk-adjusted financial model.

We run Monte Carlo simulations (1,000+ iterations) to stress-test your assumptions against market volatility, providing a probable range of outcomes, not just a single number. The output is a real options analysis that compares the value of strategic flexibility (e.g., "Dallas expansion: $275k NPV vs. Fort Worth focus: $180k NPV").

The board doesn't just give opinions—they prove it with math.

How do you train the AI advisors?

This isn't generic ChatGPT. Each advisor is a specialist model fine-tuned on a library of proven, rigorous business frameworks. We don't just use keywords; we train them on the methodologies themselves. Key frameworks include:

• Financial Modeling: Monte Carlo simulation (for risk analysis), Real Options Valuation, and Net Present Value (NPV) calculation.
• Strategic Frameworks: Category Creation (from Play Bigger), Asymmetric Competition, and Blue Ocean Strategy.
• Operational Excellence: Theory of Constraints, the Toyota Production System, and principles of lean manufacturing.
• Innovation & Product: Jobs-to-be-Done theory and disruptive innovation models.

The debate format forces these distinct, expert models to pressure-test strategies against each other, ensuring the final recommendation is robust and conflict-tested.

What are the core metrics in the Signal report?

We provide comprehensive analysis, not just a simple score:

• Authority Score (0-100): This measures the quality of your mentions. A high score means AI is actively recommending you as a top choice, not just listing you as an option.
• Ghost Influence (%): This is the percentage of conversations where AI describes exactly what you do but recommends a competitor. It's your most immediate, tangible lost revenue.
• Share of Conversation (%): Your raw market share of mentions compared to every competitor the AI is aware of.
• Directional Confidence (%): This measures market stability. A low score indicates a chaotic, volatile market where a smart competitor (you) can quickly seize the top spot.

Is this just generic business advice?

No. This is a structured debate between specialist AI models trained on proven, rigorous business frameworks. It's the opposite of generic. The CFO advisor isn't guessing; it's running Net Present Value (NPV) calculations. The board isn't just brainstorming; it's applying frameworks from Category Creation to the Theory of Constraints. This is the logic of a top-tier consulting firm, automated and delivered in 15 minutes.

How do you train the AI advisors in Solutions?

They're trained on proven business frameworks—Harvard Business Review research, real options valuation, Monte Carlo simulation, Toyota Production System, top strategy books that actually work. Each advisor gets different frameworks so they debate from different perspectives. This isn't generic ChatGPT. It's strategic thinking grounded in real business research.

How does Signal work?

Step 1: You provide your business information

Step 2: We run 50+ conversations with AI platforms as your customers

Step 3: We analyze the results and create your visibility report

Step 4: You get actionable insights to improve your AI visibility

See the process: Detailed explanation of our methodology →

How does Solutions work?

Step 1: You describe your business challenge or decision

Step 2: Four AI advisors analyze your situation from different perspectives

Step 3: They debate and argue until the best solution emerges

Step 4: You get a comprehensive strategic recommendation

Why is AI visibility important?

When customers ask AI platforms for recommendations, they're not seeing your business. They're seeing your competitors.

The problem: AI platforms don't know you exist

The solution: Our report shows exactly how to get found by AI

How accurate are your reports?

We test with real AI platforms using actual customer personas. Our reports are based on live data, not estimates.

What you get:

• Exact visibility percentages
• Competitor analysis
• Specific improvement recommendations

See the proof: Read our case study where El Tianguis went from 0% to 67% AI visibility in one month →

What if I'm not satisfied?

We offer a 7-day money-back guarantee. If it doesn't deliver, you get your money back. No forms, no fine print.

How long does it take to get my report?

15 minutes for the full board discussion, strategic synthesis, and report generation. You submit your challenge, we run the entire board meeting in parallel, and you get a comprehensive strategic report. No back-and-forth. No waiting days. Real strategic thinking at fast-food speed.

What information do you need?

For Signal - that's it! Just 3 things:

• Brand name (how customers know you)
• Website (so we can research your business)
• Target customer info (don't need to be exact)

Seriously, that's it. No complex forms, no technical details. Just the basics so we can test what AI is telling your customers.

For Solutions:

If you used Signal:

• Just your code and email. No other input required.

For other business problems:

• Your business challenge
• Current situation details
• Any relevant context
• Financial data - optional (opens up analysis like Monte Carlo simulations)

Is my data secure?

Yes. We use industry-standard encryption and never share your data with third parties. Everything is stored in a private S3 bucket on AWS servers. We only use your information to generate your report.

Data retention: We delete your data after 90 days unless you request otherwise.

Do you offer refunds?

Yes, we offer a 7-day money-back guarantee on all products. If you're not satisfied, contact us at [email protected] for a full refund.

How do I contact support?

Email us at [email protected] and we'll get back to you within 24 hours.

We're a small team, so we can't offer 24/7 support, but we respond quickly during business hours.

What makes Surmado different?

We're built for small business:

• Affordable pricing ($49 vs $5,000+ enterprise tools)
• No technical knowledge required
• Real human support
• Works with your existing tools

Technical advantage: We use persona-based testing, not generic prompts. See detailed comparison of all AI visibility tools →

Learn more about our mission and values.

Can I use both Signal and Solutions?

Absolutely! Many customers use both products together in a powerful flywheel effect:

Signal diagnoses your AI visibility problems

Solutions fixes your business challenges with strategic recommendations

Together, they create a compounding cycle of improvement - Signal reveals issues, Solutions provides fixes, results compound week after week.

See it in action: Read the full case study showing how Signal + Solutions created 67% AI visibility →

What is the "Signal + Solutions Flywheel"?

It's the compounding cycle of improvement:

• Signal diagnoses the exact problem (e.g., "You're losing 67% of 'celiac-safe' queries to a competitor").
• Solutions provides the surgical fix (e.g., "Here is the exact FAQ content and schema markup to add to your site to capture those queries").
• Your visibility increases, you get more customers, and your next Signal report shows the progress.

It's a closed loop of data-driven strategy and execution.

Do you offer enterprise plans?

Not yet, if you need something specific reach out at [email protected]. But our current focus is making AI tools accessible to small businesses.

What's your company background?

We're a small team based in San Diego, built by entrepreneurs who understand the challenges of running a small business.

Our mission: Make enterprise AI accessible to the 99% of businesses that Silicon Valley ignores.

Learn more: Read our full story and values →

Why should I trust your methodology?

Our persona-based testing reflects how AI actually works - different customers get different recommendations. Generic prompt testing misses this crucial reality.

The proof: Our case study shows real results - El Tianguis went from 0% to 67% AI visibility using our methodology.

Compare approaches: See why persona-based testing beats generic prompts →

What's Ghost Influence and why does it matter?

Ghost Influence is when AI describes what you do but recommends your competitors instead. It's like AI saying "great authentic tacos" but sending people to Taco Bell.

Why it's dangerous: You're getting the brand recognition without the customers. AI knows you exist but doesn't recommend you.

Signal shows you: How to turn Ghost Influence into actual recommendations →

How much business am I actually losing?

If you're invisible to AI while competitors get recommended, you're losing customers every day. Most businesses are shocked by the numbers.

Example: If 100 people search for your business type daily, and AI recommends you 0% of the time while competitors average 30%, you're losing 30 potential customers every day. That's thousands in lost revenue.

Get your numbers: See exactly where you stand →

What about Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)?

That term is fundamentally wrong. LLMs aren't "answer engines" - they're contextual recommendation systems.

The difference matters:

• "Answer engines" implies one answer per query
• Reality: Different personas get completely different recommendations

A busy executive asking "best coffee shop for meetings" gets different recommendations than a parent asking "coffee shop with space for kids." Same city, same moment, completely different results.

This is why generic testing fails: See why persona-based testing is the only accurate method →

How do I get my product into ChatGPT / AI recommendations?

The real question is: "How do I get recommended to my actual customers when they ask AI for help?"

What doesn't work:

• Prompt engineering your own queries
• Generic "AI optimization" tactics
• Hoping AI "just knows" about you

What works:

• Understanding how your customers actually ask AI
• Testing with their personas, not generic prompts
• Fixing the specific gaps in your AI visibility

Start here: Signal shows exactly where you stand with your real customers →

What about GenAI optimization or AIO (AI Optimization)?

These are umbrella terms that miss the critical point: different customers see different recommendations.

Most "GenAI optimization" approaches treat AI like a search engine - optimize for one "right answer" and you're done. That's wrong.

Why this matters: If you optimize for generic prompts, you're measuring fantasy data. A celiac mother searching for restaurants gets completely different AI recommendations than a business traveler - even in the same neighborhood.

The solution: Persona-based testing that reflects how your actual customers interact with AI. Compare testing methodologies →

Is this like SEO for AI?

No. SEO optimizes for algorithms that rank pages. AI visibility is about contextual recommendations for different customer types.

The fundamental difference:

• SEO: One search query = one ranked list for everyone
• AI visibility: One query = different recommendations per persona

This is why companies trying to "port SEO to AI" are getting it wrong. The systems work completely differently.

We built for the reality: See how persona-based testing actually works →

Which AI visibility tool is best for small businesses?

Signal is the best AI visibility tool for small business owners who need accurate data fast. Here's why:

• Persona-based testing: Only tool that tests as your actual customer, not generic prompts
• 15-minute delivery: Faster than any competitor (Otterly takes hours, Profound takes weeks)
• $49 one-time: No subscription lock-in like Otterly ($348/year), Rankscale ($240/year), or Profound ($5,988/year)
• Built for business owners: Get answers, not dashboards you need to interpret

Compare all tools: See detailed comparison of Signal vs Otterly, Profound, Rankscale, and others →

Should I use Signal or Otterly?

Use Signal if: You're a small business owner who needs accurate persona-based data showing what your actual customers see. $49 one-time, 15-minute delivery, diagnostic with actionable insights.

Use Otterly if: You prefer ongoing monitoring dashboards and don't mind $348/year for generic prompt testing. Good for marketers who want continuous tracking.

The key difference: Signal tests as your actual customer persona. Otterly tests with generic prompts that don't reflect how different customer types get different AI recommendations.

Should I use Signal or Profound?

Use Signal if: You're a small business that needs fast, accurate visibility data without enterprise pricing. $49 one-time, persona-based testing, 15-minute delivery.

Use Profound if: You're Fortune 500 with $5,988/year budget for enterprise monitoring and content creation. Built for dedicated AI strategy teams.

The reality: Profound costs 122x more per year and still uses generic prompts. Signal gives you persona-based accuracy at small business pricing.

What's the #1 tactic to improve AI visibility?

Own your story. Put your data on YOUR website. Third-party databases (Yelp, TripAdvisor) help SEO but actually hurt AI visibility because AI systems can't access them directly.

Create your own content—FAQ pages, customer stories, local guides, behind-the-scenes posts. AI rewards businesses that control their narrative.

The challenge: You need to know which content to create first. That's what Signal shows—your specific gaps vs competitors who are winning.

What's the best format for AI to understand my business?

FAQ pages are AI's #1 favorite format. The question-answer structure is exactly how AI systems are trained to retrieve information.

A good FAQ page beats fancy content every time. Simple, clear, question-based format that mirrors how your customers actually ask AI for recommendations.

The trick: You need to answer the questions YOUR customers are asking, not generic ones. Signal shows which queries your competitors are capturing that you're missing.

Which social media platforms affect which AI systems?

Different platforms feed different AI training data:

• X (Twitter) → Grok visibility
• Facebook Groups → Meta AI
• LinkedIn/Bing → Copilot
• Reddit/public blogs → Broad AI reach

This is why Signal tests 6 different AI systems—they all train on different data sources. Your visibility varies dramatically by platform.

What AI visibility tactics work for local businesses vs national brands?

Local businesses: Focus on hyperlocal authenticity. Customer stories, neighborhood guides, owner expertise. Simple FAQ pages answering customer questions. AI loves niche expertise.

National brands: Leverage scale advantages. Create original research, industry reports, multi-market data. Partner aggressively to spread your message.

The reality: Generic advice doesn't work. Local restaurants need different tactics than national chains. Signal shows which tactics matter for YOUR scale and competitive position.

Do you have case studies or customer success stories?

Yes. El Tianguis went from 0% to 67% AI visibility in one month, becoming the #1 recommended gluten-free Mexican restaurant in North Park.

The full story: Oscar Ancira (owner) used Signal to discover he had 0% visibility across all AI platforms. Competitors like Chipotle and Lucha Libre were getting recommended instead—even though El Tianguis has a fully gluten-free menu.

After using Signal + Solutions and executing the roadmap, AI systems now recommend El Tianguis 67% of the time for celiac families looking for Mexican food. That's the power of persona-based testing.

Why is Signal only $49 when enterprise tools cost $5,000+?

We're The Deflation Company. Our mission is making enterprise AI accessible to small businesses at 1/100th the price.

How we do it:

• Automated testing instead of manual consultants
• 15-minute delivery vs weeks of analysis
• Built for small business, not Fortune 500 budgets
• No enterprise sales teams or fancy offices

The result: Same intelligence, fraction of the cost. Enterprise tools charge $5,000+ because they can. We charge $49 because we should.

Why a one-time PDF report? Shouldn't I have a live dashboard?

Dashboards are a chore. They are another login to remember, another stream of data you have to interpret yourself. They sell you on the promise of "continuous monitoring" but deliver the reality of "continuous work."

We believe in giving you a finished strategic asset, not another task. Our reports are a complete diagnosis and a clear action plan, delivered in 15 minutes. You can execute the plan and then run another Signal report when you're ready to measure progress.

It's a tool you use when you need it, not a subscription that sits on your credit card statement. It's the "no bloat" promise in action.

You say "small business," but what kind? Does this work for my industry?

Yes. We built Surmado for the 99% of businesses that need to compete online. Our persona-based method works for any business that has distinct customer types.

Local Services (Restaurants, Plumbers, Salons): We help you get discovered by the "celiac family," the "tourist," or the "homeowner with an emergency leak."

B2B & SaaS Startups: We help you get recommended to the "skeptical CTO," the "budget-conscious founder," or the "growth-focused marketer."

Agencies & Freelancers: We give you the strategic intelligence to deliver massive value to your clients, with reports you can use to guide your work and prove your results.

If you have customers who search online for what you do, persona-based testing will show you exactly how AI recommends you to them.

I get my PDF report. Am I on my own after that?

Absolutely not. The report isn't a data dump; it's a finished strategic asset. It's designed to give you a clear, prioritized action plan you can execute immediately.

We chose a report over a dashboard precisely because we want to give you an answer, not another chore. If you need a deeper strategic partnership, Solutions is your next step. If you want to track your progress, you can run another Signal report in a month.

You're not on your own; you're in control.