Robert Scoble is shaking a finger at business leaders again in Printing For Less in the middle of nowhere:

[M]ost businesses don’t give tours and, even if they do, you don’t get an idea of what makes that business special.

I’ve lost count of how many salespeople have told me over the years that a facility tour was key to them sealing the deal with a big customer. Same thing with recruiters courting prospective new hires. Problem is, everyone is busy these days, and plane tickets cost money, so it can be tough to convince folks from distant lands to pay you a visit.

Enter the Virtual Business Tour. Scoble conducted one at Printing For Less (PFL) during a vacation last month in Montana.

Granted, neither Scoble’s interviewing technique nor the video quality in the PFL tour (about 29-1/2 minutes long) are up to par with what your local TV news station can produce, but that’s not the point. You get a look at their new facility, find out how the organization is structured, meet some of their people, learn what customers can do to make their print jobs go smoothly, and hear about CEO Andrew Field’s open book management approach to running the business.

It’s an authentic, informal, [mostly] unscripted tour. I personally felt like I was really there while watching it, and I was actually able to see the company’s capabilities. Mission accomplished for PFL.

Update: I’m not the only one mesmerized by the power of video. Jacob Bowser comments on The ScobleShow episode Photowalking with Thomas Hawk:

I don’t know if it’s the way Scoble shoots it, or what, but once again it felt like you were right there, part of the conversation.