Hello Arizona Superhosts, Hosts, Cohosts and associates!
I am a typical, original, grassroots Airbnb host: I live full-time in my listing which is listed as Homesharing (for the tax benefits) but originally began as a private 2 rooms, bath, garaged parking, private entrance.
I don't suppose any of you noticed that my listing was featured on the cover of Airbnb's latest magazine?? No you didn't, but did you check pages 8, 37 or 85? Not there either?
Dang! As Tombstone cowboys used to swear!
BUT, did you notice the ads? Well of COURSE I didn't make this issue and neither did YOU, and Tim and Holly's adorable weill photographed house didn't and, other Arizona hosts, and WHY?
Major designers are not going to buy ads in a magazine that spotlights hardworking Superhosts whose listing isn't situated in the correct financial demographics.
I can assure you, Hollywood isn't wide-eyed with wonder and anticipation about traveling to Goodyear AZ to stay at The Write Place, with their Amex Black cards licked and loaded for a designer shipping spree!
So Tim is in the correct Arizona Highway when he wants to create some host connections. But before that can be done, in an organized, intelligent, enjoyable and helpful way, Host Elitism is the highest wall we'll climb to reach out to each other.
I rent my whole house, but you only rent a bedroom with a shared bathroom, and you over there have seven properties listed, so what could we possibly have in common?
i am not a Giiraffe. Tim is not a Bengal Tiger doing this with Holly the Hopping Squirrel beside him.
If you can't see we're all people first, move on. We have SO MUCH to offer each other, such RICH experiences, unique, diverse answers to problems, referrals, recommendations, warnings.
Airbnb isn't coming to Arizona's Airbnb Rodeo, they've moved beyond us. That's okay, maybe we'll move on down our own Arizona Highway!
I call the folks who stay at The Write Place "Air-Bees"! Imagine my surprise when I was able to actually purchase that domain! Just as a little goodie for my guests, to encourage their return, I had hard plastic credit card quality discount cards made with a crest/logo I created and on the back side of the card, keeping with the"bee theme" (a gorgeous embroidered gold and white Bee is superimposed over the crest) are black and gold stripes, each gold stripa has either my name, my cohost's name or my listing name, printed in a unique Black font. Oh I forgot to men, back to the front of the member card, beneath the crest/logo in that same beautiful font is "Air-Bee United" (I started a company in that name) and under that is "Member" then beneath that my unique Air-Bee Gmail address. When I give them the card I guarantee a 10% discount as long as they show me the card when they return. I use the reconciliation tool to refund them but they've been given a disclaimer I printed starting that what I'm doing is
a personal marketing tool and is in no way affiliated with Airbnb. I also tell them my listing is the only listing involved and that card doesn't work anywhere else!
Well sure enough one of my guests tries to use the card in California. The host says "What the hell is this?" I've gotten three calls like this from hosts asking where did I get my cards?
Finally an Arizona host who shall remain unnamed by request, suggested we start a group of Arizona hosts to support each other and then he said "we", meaning those interested, could use the card the same way I did, AFTER a first stay, with each host deciding their own return visit discounts, and call it a "non-hotel" type member travel card, like AAA is.
I did copyright the Air-Bee United name and I trademarked the logo, all at this gentleman's suggestion, but aside from my own listing, I'm at a standstill with this idea right now except for one California host and two Arizona hosts, but not the same guests! Three different guests kept that card and tried to use it at another listing! Now that tells you something doesn't it? It tells me we can't expect Airbnb's focus to be on the little guys anymore. And even if you have seven or seventeen listings, if they're strewn across Arizona and not Amsterdam, you're "little" under the advertising demographics microscope.
I'm a widowed veteran journalist author. I write too much and I talk to much! To keep myself busy when I'm not busy, I'm launching my own digital newspaper on May 31st! Dream of a lifetime coming true. I'm going to have several blogs, one of which will be my Airbnb guest blog and that is going to be fun. I'm also going to have a small Air-Bee United section, where my gentleman friend/host suggests I lost participating locations and my CA host and 2AZ hosts are eager to see where I'm going with Air-Bee and I've told them I'm not going anywhere with it until I get some guidance and feedback from other AZ hosts.
Wanna have an Airbnb Rodeo, Arizona? Wanna help organize it Tim and Holly?
Anyone? Ideas? Hit me with your best shot!!
