www.turtletech.com
Phone: (218) 562-6200
Email: Lynnhunt@hugllc.om
Hunt Technologies, Inc (www.turtletech.com) is a highly acclaimed technology business consistently recognized as one of the most successful in the industry and certainly in Greater Minnesota. Having outstanding technology and exceptional marketing is a unique combination for entrepreneurs. While HTI continues to grow and succeed, much of the management and ownership has been passed onto others.
These same entrepreneurs have started new companies, one of which is Hunt Utilities Group, LLC, (HUG). HUG is exploring the integration of some of the oldest methods of construction ever used by mankind combined with some of the most innovative technologies available. The goal of HUG is to create highly ecological and economical housing that promotes healthy and comfortable lifestyles. The HUG research campus in Pine River will offer a unique blend of innovative research, housing and business incubation.
My interview was conducted with Lynn Hunt. Lynn is an extraordinary marketer and is co-founder of these companies. Lynn has many concepts and is working to create an environment that will provide opportunities for many entrepreneurs to make their concepts viable business successes.
Hunt Utility Group
Hunt Utility Group’s website is www.hugllc.com . The organization was started by eco-minded philanthropic entrepreneurs (just a couple of nuts) for the purpose of exploring and developing systems that support ecological living. The current and planned projects include: HUGnet, Straw bale construction, a research campus, buildings that heat themselves (even in Minnesota), sewage reprocessing and reuse, alternative energy, and related business incubation. The company is building a super insulated, solar powered house, which Lynn and Paul will live in. Lynn’s desire for ecological housing is combined with experience, resources, and community support.
Lynn Hunt and her daughter own Round Belly Clothing (www.roundbelly.com) which is affiliated with Hunt Utility Group. Round Belly Clothing specializes in clothing for pregnant women, keeping in mind the unique needs of the round belly. The clothing is Mother Earth Friendly in a variety of ecospun, organic cottons and hemp. Office paper is recycled, and the company encourages people to save gas and many other expenses by working out of their homes, with their children and animals to create a sustainable lifestyle that is gentle on Mother Earth and mothers-to-be. Round Belly maternity clothes not only fit around bellies beautifully, but are comfortable and stylish using materials that support and sustain Mother Earth.
Round Belly Clothing Homepage www.roundbelly.com
Lynn has been using the Internet and has maintained a website since 2000 for HTI, in 2003 she added HUG and Roundbelly websites. Lynn uses the Internet everyday. E-mail is frequently used as a communication tool and also used for communication with customers, vendors, suppliers and other organizations. Lynn needs about 2-3 hours a day to use the Internet as her business requires a lot of communication that is done using e-mail. Most frequently Lynn communicates using e-mail with lawyers, bankers, and accountants.
Not only has the Internet been used as a communication tool, the Internet is used as a business tool. Business and research tools include information search, market analysis, competition analysis, newsletter, selling and buying for business (own website, virtual mall, affiliation), communication tool (use of a chat room and discussion groups), marketing, advertising, promotion, and customer service. Lynn said, “We use the Internet to search for information and the Internet is a big part of it.” Lynn uses the Internet for product searches when she needs products or supplies for their company. The Internet is often used to purchase business supplies through websites, including ebay that enables them to go to the store where she found carries the products through the Internet. Sometimes, purchases are made via the web.
In marketing a product, she mentions, “Because we just started the Hunt Utility Group we have not used the website for marketing. HUG is the one we just started and we are not using for marketing purposes yet. However, Round Belly Clothing is very new and marketing our products using the web.” The HUG website is more for company presence. Its homepage introduces the history of company, about their business, mission statement, projects that they are currently working on. Hunt Utility Group uses the website for references. However, the company is planning to build this website as a touchable marketing tool. Lynn is planning to develop the website further to enhance its use as a marketing tool.
The website is mostly used as a marketing tool for Round Belly Clothing, operated Lynn’s daughter. It is considered a marketing tool because consumers actually purchase products online. So far, although it is a growing business, the products are selling through the web slowly.
Overall, for Hunt Utility Group, Internet serves as a research tool for Lynn’s business. The Internet did not change the way of doing their business because they started the business using the Internet. However, the use of the Internet for their business will continue to expand greatly.
The HUG website design and maintenance is done by the same person who is employed in her company. The employee solves technical problems that are connected to creating and maintaining the website. The other website for Round Belly Clothing is designed and maintained by her Lynn’s daughter
Most business experiences change as a result of having their business on a website in terms of sales, customer service, advertising, promotion, and relationships with vendors. However, the business started using a website so Lynn has not experienced any changes before the website or after. The website will continue to impact the way of doing business as the Internet environment also changes for the market.
Lynn expressed some challenges and difficulties that she had to face as a result of having a website. She said, “Difficulty is mostly technical. We have resources called technical help.” As a result, maintaining a business website doesn’t appear to be a difficult task for her business. In developing the website, she provided the useful information as follows: “I think on the yahoo.com site, there is a place you can build a business website providing instructions using a step-by-step process. My daughter used a lot of the instructions when she was building the Round Belly website.” Using the Yahoo site and similar tools, small businesses can build their own websites.
How Business Became Successful
Having a website provides a business advantage for HUG. Overall, Lynn believes using the Internet and having the website has contributed to her business success. For example, Round Belly Clothing has sales mostly via the web and does 80-90% of business transaction using the web. The Hunt Utility Group is less significant but Lynn contributes about 30-40% of contact volume done using the business website. When she talks bout her successes, she credits determination and consistency as important parts of her success. Lynn suggests customer complains about products or service should be handled directly.
In addition, as the company develops the website, Lynn began to understand how people are interacting with the website. For example, this experience came a couple of years ago when another daughter was very sick. Many people they communicate with wanted updates on her progress and the Internet served as a useful communication tool.
Recommendations and ConclusionsLynn recommends that small business owners should consider using websites for their business. Building a website, she says “just do it”, websites are a valuable tool regardless of what type of business they have. Lynn believes that much of the market they will be selling to or work with, whether it is business to business or business to consumer, most of the markets are on the web. Lynn thinks the web is a big part of a business unless it is a grocery store and even that is changing. She said, “I strongly suggest that companies need to build a website for their consumers to visit to help them understand what products that you are marketing. Although some businesses do not have a lot of knowledge about operating a website, designing and maintain a website can be learned.” There are many resources available now, so there is really no excuse for not having a website. For example, the expense that Lynn’s daughter has per month for the Round Belly website is under $100. This is a less expensive way to market the product compared to opening a store for a product line. If she physically built a store, costs would be significantly higher. A lot of good website education programs are available in rural areas. Check with local community colleges for a list of programs.
Lynn’s recommendation for building a business website for small business is a great way to start a business.