Press releases help you share news about your company with the public and media. They build trust with your customers and help grow your business. But did you know that adding the right disclaimers to your press releases keeps you safe from legal issues? Many small business owners skip this step and face problems later.
These disclaimers act like a shield for your business. They tell readers what they can and can’t do with your information. They also make clear what you promise and what you don’t. With the right disclaimers, you can feel good about sending your news into the world, knowing you’ve taken steps to protect yourself.
Small Business Press Release Disclaimers
Here are 15 disclaimers you can use in your press releases to keep your small business safe while getting the word out about your latest news.
1. Forward-Looking Statements Shield
“This press release contains forward-looking statements based on current expectations and plans. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from what we expect. We do not promise to update any forward-looking statements to reflect future events.”
This disclaimer helps when you talk about your plans or goals. It tells readers that what you say might not happen exactly as planned. This works well when announcing new products, expansion plans, or financial forecasts. It keeps people from being upset if things change.
2. Not Financial Advice Notice
“The information in this press release is for news purposes only. It is not meant as financial or investment advice. Readers should talk to a professional financial advisor before making any investment decisions related to our company.”
Add this when your news might affect stock prices or investor decisions. It makes clear that you’re just sharing news, not telling people how to spend their money. This protects you from claims that you misled investors with your announcements.
3. No Offer of Securities Statement
“This press release does not offer securities for sale. It is not asking for offers to buy securities in any place where such offers would be against the law.”
If your press release talks about your company’s stock or other investments, this disclaimer is a must. It stops people from thinking you’re trying to sell them stock directly through your press release. This keeps you on the right side of strict securities laws.
4. Accuracy Limitation Clause
“While we try hard to make sure all information in this press release is correct and up to date, we do not guarantee its accuracy or completeness. Readers should check facts on their own before acting on this information.”
This general disclaimer fits in almost any press release. It helps when you include facts, figures, or industry data. It limits your responsibility if something turns out to be wrong, even though you checked your facts.
5. Third-Party Content Disclaimer
“This press release may include quotes, data, or other information from outside sources. We do not take responsibility for the accuracy of information from these sources, though we believe them to be reliable.”
Use this when you quote experts, cite studies, or refer to other companies in your press release. It shows you’re not claiming that everything from other sources is perfect. This saves you from being blamed for mistakes in someone else’s information.
6. No Endorsement Clarification
“Mention of other companies, products, or services in this press release does not mean we endorse them. We refer to them only for news or information purposes.”
This disclaimer helps when you mention competitors, partners, or other businesses. It makes clear that you’re not saying these other companies or products are good or bad. This prevents misunderstandings about your relationship with other businesses.
7. Copyright and Sharing Boundaries
“This press release is protected by copyright. Media outlets may quote from it with proper credit to [Your Company Name]. Full reprinting needs written permission from our company.”
Add this to control how others use your press release. It lets news outlets quote you while stopping others from copying your entire announcement. This protects your content while still getting your message out through news channels.
8. No Agency Relationship Statement
“Any distributors, partners, or other businesses mentioned in this press release have their own separate legal status. They are not agents of [Your Company Name] and cannot create obligations for us.”
This works well when announcing partnerships or distribution deals. It makes clear that other companies can’t make promises on your behalf. This stops people from thinking someone else speaks for your company just because you work together.
9. No Doctor’s Advice Warning
“The products described in this press release are not meant to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Any health claims have not been checked by the FDA. Talk to your doctor before starting any new health product.”
Health and wellness businesses need this disclaimer. It follows FDA rules about what you can claim about your products. This keeps you from legal trouble while still letting you share news about your health-related products.
10. Results May Vary Notice
“Customer results mentioned in this press release are real examples but may not be typical. Individual results will vary based on many factors outside our control.”
When sharing success stories or testimonials in your press release, add this disclaimer. It prevents claims that you promised everyone would get the same amazing results. This balances your good news stories with legal protection.
11. Price Change Protection
“Prices, specifications, and offers mentioned in this press release are current as of [date]. These may change without notice. Please check our website for the most up-to-date information.”
Use this when announcing new products, sales, or special offers in your press release. It gives you freedom to adjust prices later if needed. This prevents customers from claiming you broke promises about prices or deals.
12. Regional Availability Clarification
“Products and services mentioned in this press release may not be available in all areas. Availability, pricing, and features may vary by location. Please check local availability before making plans.”
Add this when your offerings might not be the same everywhere. It’s especially useful for businesses with different service areas or international operations. This stops people from being disappointed if they can’t get what you announced in their area.
13. No Guarantee of Future Performance
“Past performance described in this press release does not guarantee future results. Our business faces risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes to differ from what we expect.”
This disclaimer works for any announcement about business growth, sales figures, or other successes. It reminds readers that good results in the past don’t promise the same in the future. This keeps expectations realistic while still letting you share your wins.
14. Media Contact Permission Limits
“Media contacts listed in this press release are provided for press inquiries only. These contacts have not agreed to receive marketing messages or solicitations from third parties.”
Add this to protect your PR team from unwanted messages. It makes clear that sharing contact info doesn’t mean anyone can send sales pitches to those people. This keeps your media contacts happy and focused on sharing your news.
15. Website Link Safety Boundary
“Links to our website in this press release are provided for information only. We do not take responsibility for other websites that might link to or from our site, or for any content on those sites.”
Use this when your press release includes website links. It limits your responsibility for other websites that might be connected to yours. This protects you from being blamed for content on sites you don’t control.
Wrap-up
Adding disclaimers to your press releases might seem like a small detail in your busy day as a small business owner. Yet these few lines of text work hard to protect what you’ve built. They set clear boundaries about what you’re responsible for and what you’re not.
The best part is that once you choose the right disclaimers for your business, you can use them again and again. Copy and paste them into each press release to save time while staying protected. Just make sure to review them once in a while to check if laws or your business needs have changed.
Your press releases can now do their job of spreading good news about your business, while these disclaimers quietly guard against potential problems. This balance lets you focus on growing your company instead of worrying about legal issues from your announcements.