The store, which the Daily Express recently described as the world’s best–loved corner shop, will be installing blackout blinds in some of its shop windows.

Apparently, staff at the store will draw the blinds while they change over the window displays.

The blackout blinds, which are most commonly used in bedrooms as they don’t let in any light, were carefully selected by the store to prevent passersby getting a sneaky peak of the top secret new window displays before they are officially revealed.

As requested, the store had its emblem and a short message printed on the blinds.

Take a look at the video of the blinds being tested ahead of them being sent to Clive from Apollo Blinds Loughton who will then organise their installation.

[We did have some funky music on the video but YouTube didn't like it, so we had to take it off]

Come and see us at stand L14.

He saw a 20% increase in the number of people who clicked the Like button on his www.facebook.com/apollohamilton social media website last month as a result of offering £100 of free blinds.

All the people who liked his site that month were entered into a prize draw and George announced the winner – who very kindly donated her prize to Cancer Support Scotland.

The reason that George is putting up the monthly prize is that social media sites such as Facebook have become an influential online shop window to market his business.

“Our Facebook page is a great way for other Facebookers to get to know us and also see all the beautiful blinds we fit in homes all across Hamilton,” he said.

“I’ve built up a huge library of photo examples of my work on Facebook which has resulted in an increasing number of customers going on the site and asking for the same products.

“The beauty of Facebook is that customers become part of my Apollo Blinds experience and join in with the antics on the site.”

As well as being Hamilton’s most popular seller of window blinds, awnings and shutters, George’s antics on Facebook include the banter with Radio Clyde presenter Robin Galloway and the mysterious Waheed McManus who keeps popping up on the show.

George believes his business is booming at a time when other are struggling because of his use of Facebook and other social media sites like Twitter to promote his company.

“I’m a firm believer that people buy from people and those who follow me get a new level of access and assurance of whom they are buying from – which is so important for customers who want peace of mind that they are buying quality products from reputable companies,” he said.

“I also really appreciate that people choose to follow me and my business online which is why I want to reward that with offers such as free blinds.”

To stand a chance of winning £100 of free blinds this month all you have to do is visit www.facebook.com/apollohamilton and click the Like button.

This is the press release that Apollo Blinds Hamilton has issued to local media.

Nah, we don’t think so either. But you might enjoy our franchise website instead.

He’s following in the footsteps of all the A-list celebs by announcing news on his Twitter and Facebook pages. And this week he revealed the new look for his showroom and van.

George has incorporated Facebook and Twitter logos on his shop signage and van livery as a way of promoting his presence on the social media sites.

But, not content with that, George has been using social media to strike up an online friendship with Clyde 1 DJ and Scottish Sun columnist Robin Galloway…..and George is now getting free mentions on the radio from his new newfound buddy.

Cheeky George knew Robin lived in Hamilton so asked him to be a fan of his Apollo Blinds Hamilton Facebook page and the banter has carried on from there with Robin reading some of the one-liner jokes that have become George’s trademark.

As a result, he has got mentions twice this week and knowing George he’s going to milk it for all its worth.

George we salute you and I’m sure you’ll be using this blog as more publicity for your business!

This week alone we’ve been featured in magazines such as Ideal Home and Good Homes as well as the Daily Express.

We’re obviously the darling’s of the homes and interiors media for two reasons.

Firstly, we have a brilliant PR specialist called Kirsty who continues to do a brilliant job passing all the latest news from Apollo Blinds to all her journalist contacts.

Secondly, the quality of press material we have available is crucial in helping Kirsty to do her job effectively. We have some fabulous photography which shows our beautiful blinds off to perfection. And that’s the key. Having great products which clearly photograph extremely well only serves to showcase how gorgeous our blinds are.

We’re already planning new photoshoots for more products to satisfy the hungry and demanding media who clearly like Apollo’s blinds.

So keep an eye out for more great coverage from Apollo Blinds.

Also, have a look at this….it’s from our latest photoshoot

The pictures were for a new page of our franchise recruitment website – which should go live next week – where people can meet the team. We’re a glam bunch aren’t we?

And, as if that wasn’t bad enough, it was also a case of lights, camera, action as we were all filmed as well. Here’s a sneak preview of our Product Manager James.

For most people the return to work after the Christmas break is a miserable time of year – but not for some lucky so-and-sos at Apollo Blinds.

The winners of our holiday sales promotion have just been announced and a group of our star franchise owners are already planning to jet off destinations including around the world including Paris, New York and Dubai.

We had seven winners in all and one super sales team won two holidays – Dubai and New York.

We had sales leagues for each product range so the top seller in the UK would, where possible, win an appropriate holiday. The person who topped the sales league for Venetian blinds has won a trip to Venice. And so on.

The holiday competition has been a roaring success in galvanising our network of individual franchise owners across the UK. It has stimulated the camaraderie and stoked the friendly rivalry to outdo each other and bask in the glory of being super salespeople.

It’s also one of the key reasons which has helped Apollo Blinds to maintain buoyant sales in 2010. And now some of our sales superstars can plan their well-earned holidays and recharge their batteries ahead of what we expect to be an equally busy 2011.

Well done to all our winners.

In a typically festive feature the newspaper had a collection of ‘must have’ home interior items for this Christmas and our energy saving Duette blinds got a lovely plug (BTW for silly legal reasons we can’t show you the actual article).

In the feature it explained that:

“A fifth of all heat lost from homes escapes through window panes and frames. Apollo Blinds’ energy-efficient Duette Fixe blinds help cut heat loss during winter with their patented air pocket honeycomb texture. Or for even better insulation values, try the blackout range using a metallised film. Blinds can be fitted to any size of window or door and come in a choice of 14 colours. All are made to measure.”

As you can imagine everyone at Apollo HQ was delighted with the coverage and the fact the Express mentioned our website address as well so readers could go and get more information on energy saving blinds.

The only fly in the ointment was that they didn’t use the right picture but we’re not going to look a gift horse in the mouth as all publicity is good publicity. So here’s a picture anyway.

So the combination of millions of people seeing the Daily Express feature and plummeting temperatures this weekend will hopefully see our team of experts around the UK taking a flurry of enquiries for our blinds that keep the warmth in.