Set Browser Home Page to Company Resource Site

Every time you open your browser, it automatically opens to a particular web page. This is called your home page. You can change this page so that you see what you want to see when your browser opens.

In future articles I will show you how to easily make a "Resource Website" for your company which can be hosted on your own computer or on your network, and which can provide valuable current information to your employees.

The value of setting a browser home page to this resource site, is that your co-workers can have the latest company information on their screen just by starting their browser. It can contain links, images, and downloads just like a web-based site.

A resource site is a great place to store links to all of your latest forms, vendor and customer lists, project numbers and descriptions, project tracking status, insurance coverages and many more essential documents.

And you can do it yourself!

First, let's set the browser. I will show this process for two browsers: Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox. Other browsers should configure similarly.

How To…
Set your browser home page to an Internal Resource Website

For Internet Explorer

Start Button / Control Panel / Internet Options / General Tab

I will use an example link which targets a file located on the G drive of a network, in the folder "Forms", subfolder "BA-internal-website". The home page of the website is named "BA-home.htm"

Here is what the "internal" link looks like:
file:///G:/FORMS/BA-internal-website/BA-home.htm

You can find the exact link by opening your browser, clicking File/Open File, and browsing to your resource page file. It must be an HTML file. If it opens in your browser, first bookmark it for future use, then right click/copy it. This internal link is a valid browser link just like the typical "http://www...." links you are familiar with.

Paste the link where it says "Address:"


Click "Accept", then click "OK"

You must close and reopen Internet Explorer in order for settings to take place.

For Mozilla Firefox

Open Mozilla Firefox

At top: Tools / Options / General

Paste the link where it says "Location(s):"


Click "OK"

You must close and reopen Moxilla Firefox in order for settings to take place.

Now, every time you open your browser, your internal resource website will appear on the screen. Next chapter: how to easily build the site.

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Self-Serving Letters and Emails

Much of business involves inducing people to do what we want them to do. Whether it is to sign a proposal, return a call, set up an appointment, provide information or pay a bill, we are constantly nudging.

In business, to exist you must persist. But what happens if your nudgee is flat-out unresponsive? Can you still advance your agenda?

In many cases you can. Execute a classical Poingo inversion, top it off with a half-gainer and a solid plant at the end, and you've got your deal.

In English that means to look for opportunities to invert the situation wherein the inaction, rather than the action of your nugdee prompts the furtherance of your cause.

Your answer may be a self-serving letter or email. Example:

Your customer ordered a load of snipe bracelets, but now that you have them and are ready to deliver, you can't get a returned phone call. After a few attempts, move into self-serving mode.

Leave a phone message, followed by a letter and an email which essentially says this:

Self Serving Message (paraphrased)

"Hello my esteemed customer, bringer of light and feeder of my children. I have spent a few seconds of my unworthy life calling to bring you excellent news about the arrival of your magnificent snipe bracelets."

"Alas, all which has occurred to date is that I have has the distinct pleasure of hearing the music of your voice on your voicemail machine."

"But now I must plan on your behalf, to ensure that your valuable merchandise arrives in time for the upcoming "Accoutrement' de Snipe" convention. I will take it upon myself to defend your interests, my friend, and deliver your valuables this Friday at 3PM."

"If for any reason you need to modify this plan, please call me before end of day Thursday so I can best meet your expectations."

Sucking Up
You may have noticed a certain Alladin-like obsequiousness to this message. Good catch! You are basically ramrodding your customer. At least be nice about it. Remember what Mary Poppins said about the spoonful of sugar helping the medicine go down. Frame your actions within a context of the customer's best interest.

Multi Media Approach
Remember, I suggested a call, a letter and an email. Each additional medium of communication reduces the ability of your customer to ignore you. Where appropriate, you may also use smoke signals and carrier pidgeons. Tatoos on prominent body parts can also be effective.

Don't Hurt Yourself
Use self-serving communications sparingly. Even more important, don't overreach:

"Hello my most wonderful customer whose radiance shares the skies with the great deities while his feet bless the Earth with their touch. I surmise that in your greatness you may have overlooked signing the contract I have humbly offered".(so far, so good)

"Knowing that you will soon be wanting the 7 shipping containers filled with the finest New Zealand Kiwi fruits we discussed, I am ordering their placement on the next barge coming your way. They will be nicely ripe when they arrive. I am confident that when you inhale the fragrance of these delicacies, you will immediately sign the contract and accept delivery."

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