​Subscribe | Advertise​
​Join 63,553 smart people
​Brought to you by UserEvidence​

Bad news: Most B2B buyers *don’t* trust our marketing claims.​ ​​ ​So potential sales stall—or worse, die—while buyers stay stuck on the fence. And those case studies and testimonials you’re sharing like crazy aren’t enough. Why? Because buyers don’t have the proof they need to move forward. This is The Evidence Gap—and it’s costing you BIG time. But it doesn’t have to. Discover what evidence actually moves buyers to “yes” (and how to give it to them). ​ ​​→ Grab your free copy of The Evidence Gap now​ ​(Based on input from 600+ B2B marketers, sellers, and buyers)

​
Imagine this…
​
You’ve rewritten the ad headline for a hoodie 13 times.
​
You’re obsessing over which “power words” to use while secretly wondering if some rando on LinkedIn will accuse you of using “AI slop.”
​
You cut more words, then add them back in 15 minutes later.
​
​Should I say soft or buttery? Is this too long? Why can’t I just win the lottery and never have to think again?” you wonder in despair.
​
Finally, after two grueling hours, you nail down the headline.
​
It’s short and sweet, but should do the trick.
​
With a brain that feels like mush, you send it off for approval, then slam down your laptop.

Two days later…

A millennial is half-listening to a podcast while they wait to pick up a turkey sandwich at the deli.
​
They’re also mindlessly scrolling through Instagram when an ad catches their eye.
​
“The soft-as-butter hoodie that’s sold out 6X.”
​
They don’t even think about it.
​
They click the ad, scan over the materials that back up the softness claim, and add it to their cart.
​
​Why did it take you two hours to write a headline, yet your buyer judged it in under two seconds?
​
​In today’s edition of Why We Buy 🧠 we’ll explore System 1 and System 2 Thinking—why we make most decisions automatically and only think deeper when required.​
​
Let’s get into it.

​
​🧠 The Psychology of System 1 and System 2 Thinking

Daniel Kahneman, Nobel Prize-winning legend and author of Thinking, Fast and Slow, explains that our brains have two decision-making systems:

System 1 is lightning-fast. It runs on instincts, gut feelings, and mental shortcuts.
​
It’s why you can recognize a face in a crowd or finish the phrase “peanut butter and…”
​
On the flip side, System 2 is slower and more deliberate.​
​
It kicks in when you solve a tough math problem or carefully weigh pros and cons.

Now, most buyers think they’re being rational.
​
But research shows we default to making decisions with System 1 first. And those decisions are typically rubber-stamped by System 2, unless a situation triggers deeper scrutiny.
​
Which makes sense, considering up to 95% of all buying decisions are made with emotion and later justified with logic.
​
That’s why smart marketers know that to change behavior (and make the sale), you shouldn’t lead with logic.
​
You have to win over System 1 first.
​

🤔 How To Apply This

Alright, so how can you apply this right now to sell more?

SaaS​
​Stop users from bouncing by giving them a head start​
​
​Lovable's main CTA on their homepage is to build an app by chatting with AI. But most people aren’t sure exactly what they want to create when given that opportunity. That requires the deep, analytical, and time-consuming thinking that belongs to System 2.
​
But instead of allowing this roadblock to deter users, Lovable sidesteps that by offering example apps you can “remix” in one click.

Suddenly, you’re not starting with a blank slate. You’re starting with momentum.
​
This taps into System 1’s preference for speed and ease, making it waaay more likely people actually start building.
​

Ads​
​Make people feel seen before you sell

Dove’s “Real Beauty” campaign activates System 1 with emotional storytelling.
​
Instead of airbrushed models, they feature women of all shapes and ages. It feels real and relatable, so people think, “Hey, that ‘model’ looks like ME”—and their guard drops.

Then Dove slips in just enough credibility-cementing product facts—like “dermatologically tested” and “48-hour moisturization”—to keep System 2 from raising objections.
​
So the decision to grab Dove’s lotion or soap feels like a no-brainer.

​
​Technology
​Lead with selfish desires to justify high price tags​
​
Apple sells status first—aka what their users really want.
​
The clean visuals, minimalist product shots, and sleek design all whisper to System 1: “You’re a cool tech genius when you use this.”

But a $799+ price tag jolts party pooper System 2 into action.
​
So Apple serves *just enough* logic—like the impressive camera specs, chip speed, and security features—to justify the hefty price.
​
You wanted it before you could explain why. Now you can, so the decision feels less risky.
​

​
💥 The Short of It

Most decisions—buying and otherwise—are made in the blink of an eye, thanks to System 1 thinking.
​
So if your marketing relies on logic alone, you’re losing sales before they even start.
​
Win over the brain’s fast lane with emotional, intuitive messaging, then let System 2 give the green light to what System 1 has already decided.
​​
​​Until next time, happy selling!

With ❤️ from Katelyn and Jordyn​

​