Understanding why Cohoes‘ Eat in the Street is smart marketing may help improve collaboration and marketing strategy for individual businesses. Several good reasons exist for where it is located, and when it is occurring.

Downtown revitalization is a smart business strategy to improve the city economically. Cohoes needed a way to get people downtown for commerce because a thriving downtown contributes to the development of the City. Downtowns are traditionally the cultural,  business, and social hubs of the city. Therefore, developing an engaged downtown fosters the potential for ideas, the development and improvement of business, art, and an increase in tax revenue.

The Cohoes Music Hall is a great way to bring visitors to downtown Cohoes, but it was closed. A safe event to bring people downtown was needed, especially during the tail end of the pandemic. A restaurant event makes the most sense because people eat daily.

  1. This event exposes more people to downtown Cohoes
  2. It generates revenue for existing restaurants
  3. Non-restaurant businesses have the opportunity to market to the Eat in the Street participants
  4.  It provides City tax revenue
  5. Attracts investors
  6. Fosters positive and safe interaction

Thank you to Steve Napier Debbie Jacques and  Mayor Bill Keeler for establishing this very positive event. Going forward into colder months,  supporting The Cohoes Music Hall is instrumental in bringing people downtown. Businesses should work with each other to develop ways to Capitalize on visitors to downtown during events.

A great marketer and friend, Darren Shapiro, often tells a story about how Target gained significant market share on Walmart because Walmart stopped advertising during the recession in the 80s. Sam Walton was asked,  “What happened?”. He replied,  “It is amazing what happens when you don’t invite people to your store”.

To Cohoes Business owners… invite lots of people to your store every day. Share the benefits of coming to your store. People are creatures of habit. You need to tell them to visit and why visiting benefits them. This is smart marketing. Good Luck.

Manny Santos is a strategic marketing veteran that provides business, advertising, and web development at Go Gonzalez