1. © 2011 Apptivo Inc. All rights reserved.
87% Believe that Customer Reviews Makes a Business
Trustworthy
BusinessSummary
Shawn Trautman has captured national attention as a businessman and Lead Instructor in over
50 top-rated DVDs including Dance Lessons 101. Shawn’s success as an instructor can be
attributed to his pioneering, multi-faceted approach to learning through video and relationship
building.
Dance Videos Direct, and the Shawn Trautman brand of dance instruction, has developed one
of the most original and successful dance instruction methods for teaching new dancers. His
Dance Collection has taught countless numbers of people how to dance in the comfort of their
own homes since early 2005 and is now one of the best-selling dance lesson collections
worldwide.

2. © 2011 Apptivo Inc. All rights reserved.
How to gain trust?
Gaining the trust of new customers is always a challenge, especially through an online
business. But Shawn has found a way of building that trust before an order is made through
promotions and product reviews. Not only are customers are allowed to add testimonials and
reviews on their website, Facebook page, and Amazon.com, but they strongly encourage it as it
showcases real life application and usefulness. They regularly hear from new customers how
these reviews have positively impacted perceptions, buying behavior, and have sparked
consumer interest.

3. © 2011 Apptivo Inc. All rights reserved.
In 2011, Shawn Trautman Instructions launched a survey to all customers and got an 87%
response listing Customer Review as their #1 reason for choosing Shawn Trautman Instruction.
Why Trust is Important
At the end of the day, if the customers don’t trust Shawn Trautman brand for all it stands for,
then they’ve wasted their time and effort and have failed as an organization that survives
because of reputation and brand recognition. Trautman knows that if they begin by meeting the
expectations of their customers, the move forward with the small things to truly delight their
customers and exceed their expectations, they will be well on their way to building a strong
brand and an increased bond wit those that engage with their products. Their goal is to create a
true “raving fans,” so to speak, knowing that everything else will follow. Anyone can create a
product or service that customers are “satisfied” with, but it’s all about creating one that their
customers are “loyal” to. This may lead to repeat purchases and strong word-of-mouth
advertising, but the personal relationships that they develop are invaluable.
Developing trust means going through all the intangibles outside of the product. Whether a
personal follow-up phone call, email, or some other engagement strategy, it’s the service level
and intangibles that create the magical moments with customers and allows businesses to grow.

4. © 2011 Apptivo Inc. All rights reserved.
Tactics to Gain the Trust
Throughout their website, they provide customers with the comfort of knowing that their
business is certified and accredited by many different organizations.
 Four times over the last two years they have tested the site and removed the accreditation and
seals thinking the site would be overcrowded with so much clutter. The average time for the
removal of such signs was four days, and each experienced a significant drop in conversion
rates (average drop was 36%).
 Sample videos are provided for customers to get a preview of what is taught on the DVD’s.
77% of all survey respondents in 2011 indicated that the video previews was an influencer in
their purchase decision.
 Shawn offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee on all products, even if it has been opened. In the
five years of offering the satisfaction guarantee, they’ve had less than 0.4% of all purchases
returned.
Showcasing the Trust Earned
 On Amazon.com and eBay, they have a 100% positive feedback with over 2,000 customer
reviews.

5. © 2011 Apptivo Inc. All rights reserved.
 They have been accredited with the Better Business Bureau since 2007 and have an A+
rating with zero complaints over that period.
 Several of the industry accreditations are featured on the right side column and footer of their
website.