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A. Understanding Interests
Simply put, interest is a form of willingness. According to various experts :
1. Syaiful Bahri Djamarah's Perspective
Interest, as per Syaiful Bahri Djamarah in his book "Psychology of Learning," is a persistent activity undertaken to observe and remember activities that are liked, whether intentional or not.
2. L. Crow & A. Crow's Viewpoint
L. Crow & A. Crow define interest as something related to the power of motion that supports an individual's attraction to a specific object, person, or activity, often stemming from habitual practices.
3. Shaleh Abdul Rahman's Definition
Shaleh Abdul Rahman, in his book "Psychology: An Introduction from an Islamic Perspective," describes interest as a tendency to pay attention to and act towards people, activities, or situations of interest, accompanied by feelings of joy.
4. Witherington's Insight
Witherington suggests that interest is an individual's awareness of an object, person, or situation that has a connection to them or is seen as something consciously recognized.
5. Bimo Walgito's Interpretation
According to Bimo Walgito, interest is a condition where a person has an inclination towards something and a desire to know, learn, or further validate what they can acquire and learn.
6. Slameto's Definition
Slameto views interest as a feeling of preference and attachment to something or an activity without external prompting.
In general, interest can be summarized as an attraction, willingness, a preference, and attention towards something.
B. Key Elements and Characteristics of Interest
According to Rast, Harmin, and Simon, interest comprises several key elements:
1. Positive Feeling Towards a Specific Object.
2. Interest in Specific Objects.
3. Activity Directed Towards Specific Objects.
4. Tendency to be More Active Towards Specific Objects.
From these key elements, the characteristics of interest include generating a positive impact, pleasure, and arousal towards specific objects.
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C. Customer Interest Mirrors Your Interest
One of the swiftest methods to gain customers is by conveying genuine interest in what captures their attention. By doing so, potential customers are more likely to engage in communication with us.
For instance, consider a business selling books. The optimal approach is to offer books that align with the potential customer's interests. It's not merely about selling; it's about understanding and addressing the desires and interests of potential customers. Therefore, creating "customer persona" data before selecting and promoting products becomes crucial. With this data, communication becomes more flexible, allowing for personalized promotion to potential customers.
Once you possess data on potential customer interests, the next step is to study those interests. When communicating, convey messages and impressions that signify a shared interest. By leveraging the learned data, conversations with potential customers evolve from mere seller-buyer interactions to those between friends who share common interests. As a close relationship forms, selling products becomes more accessible. Friends are more inclined to purchase products, even if competitors offer slightly lower prices.
One must recognize the significant error entrepreneurs make: focusing excessively on themselves or their products. This approach hinders the process of building genuine connections with people unless accompanied by genuine attention to the hopes, desires, and interests of potential customers.
Read Also : Listen To Your Customers!
In the book "How To Win Friends & Influence People: In The Digital Age" by Dale Carnegie & Associates, Inc., emphasis is placed on connecting with friends, colleagues, and clients instead of investing excessive time in polishing digital media. Express genuine interest and admiration, interact, understand their problems, and provide optimal solutions. This approach establishes effective communication and builds sincere connections, simplifying life with a network of genuine connections ready to assist.
Author : Mushpih Kawakibil Hijaj, Writer on Shariavest.
This text was translated from Indonesian to English using ChatGPT/Google Translate.