The government is aiming to make 2012 the year of British entrepreneurship with the launch of a new campaign to encourage people to start their own businesses.

The campaign, Business in You, is a government-private sector initiative that will give new start-ups or firms looking to grow their operations access to crucial information and guidance.

It features a new web portal bringing together resources available to business owners and entrepreneurs to help them start or grow their business as well as inspire them with stories of how other people have achieved success.

Campaign partners – including the Federation of Small Businesses, the Confederation of British Industry and StartUp Britain – will provide free services including workshops, web-based seminars and video tutorials on a range of issues.

"Small businesses and entrepreneurs are the lifeblood of the British economy and I am determined that we, working with the private sector, do everything we can to help them to start up and to grow in 2012,"  said David Cameron, the prime minister.

For small firms, marketing is key. Promotional items are great way to grow and get your name about in your early days.

See our recent feature on how promotional products can help grow your business, attract customers, keep them, and reward employees.

Posted by Robin McCrink