Al-Ilam : Journal of Contemporary Islamic Communication and Media

The Indonesian Financial Services Authority (OJK) reported that by the endof 2020, the market share of sharia-based assets in the non-bank financial industry was only 4.61 percent of the total assets in this sector. Sales agents serve as intermediaries, referring potential customers to financing companies and earning a commission in return. This study examines the persua-sive communication activities employed by sales agents when reaching out to Muslim poten-tial customers during the COVID-19 pandemic through the lens of Cognitive Dissonance The-ory. Potential customers might encounter cognitive dissonance, an unbalanced psychological state, when they perceive contradictions or inconsistencies in the sales agents' communication. This can affect their purchasing decisions and loyalty towards a particular product or service. This research, which adopted a qualitative case study approach, is anchored in three intercon-nected concepts: personal selling, persuasive communication, and cognitive dissonance. In-depth interviews with sales agents were the primary data collection method. Findings reveal that sales agents predominantly focus on the commercial benefits over sharia principles in their messaging. Differences were observed in the utilization of persuasive communication by customers or agents in selling Sharia-based products during periods other than the COVID-19 pandemic, such as in the years before 2020. The spread of COVID-19 starting in 2020 directly impacted sales activities due to stricter credit approval procedures and the need for agents to adjust communication methods to minimize transmission risks. Furthermore, cognitive disso-nance stemming from sharia principles was found to be less significant for potential customers compared to other commercial concerns