From The Next Decision Podcast: A Conversation with Ian Baer
That’s the powerful insight Ian Baer, Founder & CEO of Sooth, shared in his episode of The Next Decision podcast, hosted by Jarie Bolander. This conversation cuts straight to the heart of marketing today: if you’re not tapping into the emotional drivers behind human decision-making, you’re missing the signal that truly matters.
With decades of experience in predictive intelligence and brand strategy, Ian makes the case that while data and demographics have long dominated marketing, they only explain a fraction of why people choose what they choose. The real key? Emotions.
In this post, we’ll break down the key takeaways from the episode, including why emotions drive 90% of financial decisions, how to think beyond demographics, and what marketers need to do to align with customers in an age of decision fatigue.
Decisions Are Emotional, Not Rational
Ian doesn’t mince words: 90% of financial decisions are emotional, not rational. That figure, grounded in Nobel Prize-winning behavioral science, reframes the way businesses should think about consumer behavior.
Marketers often cling to attribution models, demographics, and historical data. But Ian argues those inputs only account for about 7% of brand choices. The other 93% are driven by deeper forces.
In other words: the spreadsheet won’t tell you why someone buys. The story will.
The Three Layers of Need
To understand real decision-making, Ian introduces a framework:
- Emotional needs — Belonging, safety, freedom, thrill, care, identity
- Practical needs — Functional requirements of a product or service
- Situational needs — Timing, context, and urgency (think: a washing machine flooding your apartment)
Emotions lead. Practical and situational factors filter. Together, they predict outcomes far more accurately than demographics or past behavior ever could.
B2B and B2C: The Line Is Gone
One of Ian’s sharpest points is that the distinction between B2B and B2C has collapsed.
Consumers expect business decisions to feel as personalized and intuitive as shopping on Amazon. Gen Z, now entering their 30s, have only ever known a world of digital choice—and that expectation shapes both their consumer and professional decisions.
For marketers, this means one thing: stop treating B2B buyers as “rational actors” immune to emotion. They’re not.
Decision Fatigue and the Stakes for Marketers
Modern consumers face unprecedented decision fatigue. From choosing streaming services to picking groceries, the sheer volume of options erodes discernment.
That fatigue means brands can’t rely on brute force marketing. The winners will be those who:
- Recognize emotional signals in the moment
- Build trust through authenticity
- Deliver solutions that feel right, not just available
As Ian puts it: “The best story wins.”
From Demand Generation to Demand Identification
Here’s another myth Ian dismantles: the idea of demand generation.
“There’s no such thing as demand creation anymore,” he says. Needs already exist. The marketer’s role is to identify those needs quickly and authentically—and then align brand messaging, offers, and timing to meet them.
That shift requires new systems, not just new slogans. Which is why Sooth developed its predictive platform, Eli (Emotional Logic Interface), to help brands see and act on decision signals in real time.
The Takeaway: Marketing Needs Empathy
If there’s one message to walk away with, it’s this: marketing must lead with empathy. Data and demographics only get you so far. But when you design messaging and experiences around human emotions—safety, belonging, thrill, care—you tap into the forces that actually move people to act.
As Ian says: “When you really lean into human understanding, you bring a kindness to marketing that’s not there often enough.”
Listen to the Episode
Want the full conversation with Ian Baer? Listen to The Next Decision: “The Emotional Core of Every Decision.”
Available now on Spotify, YouTube, and wherever you get your shows.
Final Thought
If you’re a marketer, product leader, or business executive trying to break through in a noisy market, this episode is your wake-up call.
Forget the obsession with demographics. The real lever for growth isn’t more targeting or more impressions—it’s understanding the emotional, practical, and situational needs that shape every decision.
Start there, and you’ll stop guessing. You’ll start connecting.
