Having worked at several boutique PR agencies, I’ve been able to gain a very broad range of experience when it comes to the industries I’ve worked in; everything from cannabis to lifestyle to finance, transportation, insurance and healthcare (to name a few). Of course its not humanly possible to know the ins-and-outs of every single industry. Here is where honesty comes in and becomes vital to a PR program’s success. When a PR person starts working with a client, they shouldn’t say they know their business. I’ve seen time and time again where PR people (mostly agency owners) are afraid to be honest. They assume clients will be disappointed if they don’t always have the answer or they will automatically agree to something because they are afraid to say no. Being in the dark or agreeing to something that may not be totally understandable will only backfire in the end.  PR professionals may know a client’s space well when it comes to the media landscape but clients should assume they should take time for a major information download as soon as they hire a PR consultant or agency. If a client won’t provide it, PR people should not be afraid to ask. And to expand on this, clients should provide their PR rep with a tutorial on the product and/or service that they are set to promote. Have them take on the role as customer. This way, they are armed with the knowledge to answer possible tough or specific questions about the product or service with journalists. If a PR rep is hired to promote a new vape pen, they should try it out. If it’s a new insurance technology platform, the PR rep should fully understand it and see how customers use it and what makes it different. If it’s a new automobile, the PR rep should give a test ride. As cliché as it sounds, knowledge is power and in PR, its vital to the success of any PR campaign. Don’t be afraid to ask for more!