<\/p>\n\n
What is the product life cycle?<\/h2>\n\n
The product life cycle is a metaphor that is used to understand that a product, or service, goes through different stages, just like people.<\/p>\n\n
It tries in this way to explain, or represent, the evolution, or life, of the product over time.<\/p>\n\n
And it can cover more or fewer stages depending on the type of product.<\/p>\n\n
For example, for certain products there will not be an innovation, creation, or prototyping phase. For others, there might be.<\/p>\n\n
In any case, we will focus on the part of the product’s life after its launch.<\/p>\n\n
Because it is the part most related to marketing actions, more than anything.<\/p>\n\n
Normally we have these four phases:<\/p>\n\n
- \n
- Introduction<\/strong>: this is when we launch the product on the market<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Growth<\/strong>: the phase in which the product gets more sales and becomes established in the market<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Maturity<\/strong>: sales are stable (ideally) and the product holds its place in the market<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Decline<\/strong>: sales drop, or the product is replaced by others<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
Those are basically the phases.<\/p>\n\n
However, they don’t have to be linear; we can, and often must, with our marketing actions influence the stages of the product’s life.<\/p>\n\n
But they are important, and we must act accordingly.<\/p>\n\n
Let’s see these stages in a little more detail.<\/p>\n\n
![\"Stage](\"https:\/\/mailrelay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/business-1.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n![\"Product](\"https:\/\/mailrelay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/curva-ciclo-de-vida-de-un-producto.png\")
<\/figure>\n\nStage 1: introduction<\/h2>\n\n
As we mentioned before, this is the stage in which we launch the product on the market.<\/p>\n\n
Consequently, initial sales are usually low.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
Not always, of course, especially if we work for a large company.<\/p>\n\n
However, in many cases, it’s normal for sales to be low at the beginning, and we have to work with that in mind.<\/p>\n\n
One of the reasons<\/strong> is the obvious one: consumers don’t know the product yet, and even if we run marketing campaigns (which is essential), well, we won’t have earned their trust yet.<\/p>\n\n
They can see it’s a new product or service<\/strong>, and the reality is that, with so many alternatives on the market, they have other, more proven options to choose from.<\/p>\n\n
Why does this happen?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
Because people want solutions to their problems, needs, and desires.<\/p>\n\n
And they aren’t always willing to risk their money on a solution that hasn’t clearly been proven to work.<\/p>\n\n
Alright.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
So in this phase we must invest in marketing to:<\/p>\n\n
- \n
- Make ourselves known<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- And gain the trust of customers<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
Not making much money, or even losing it, is both possible and expected.<\/p>\n\n
Strategies in the introduction phase<\/h3>\n\n
Since what we want is to make our product or service known, so that the first people start buying, we can:<\/p>\n\n
- \n
- Launch campaigns on social media, videos, digital press, websites, blogs, etc. Wherever you think your potential customers will be, of course.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Offer free trials or do demonstrations, a classic tactic to help customers get to know the product.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Collaborations with people who already have an established audience, such as influencers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
At this stage, email marketing can be very useful.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
It will allow you to maintain contact with those first users and customers, with welcome emails<\/a>, for example.<\/p>\n\n
These welcome emails can help to:<\/p>\n\n
- \n
- Thank them for purchasing the product<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Explain its use and frequently asked questions<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Follow up<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Ask about any questions, impressions, etc.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
They are therefore a form of direct communication with these first customers.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
![\"Stage](\"https:\/\/mailrelay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/sales-grow.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\nStage 2: growth<\/h2>\n\n
This would be the stage of the product life cycle in which, after the launch, the product begins to get a good volume of customers and gain visibility.<\/p>\n\n
Reaching this phase is a very good sign<\/strong>, as it shows that the product has made it past the launch.<\/p>\n\n
Not all of them do.<\/p>\n\n
Consequently, it shows that this is a product with the potential to grow and be profitable.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
Of course, this doesn’t mean that everything is done.<\/p>\n\n
Your competitors will usually react.<\/strong> Or, if the market is new, new competitors will appear.<\/p>\n\n
The good news is that, as there should be profits, you can invest in marketing with more peace of mind, as there is a clearer return on investment<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n
Strategies in the growth phase<\/h3>\n\n
As we were saying, if the market responds positively, it’s possible to scale your marketing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n
Therefore, new options open up, and existing ones are expanded.<\/p>\n\n
For example, investing more in paid SEM campaigns, display ads, lead generation campaigns, etc.<\/p>\n\n
It is even possible to use referral, loyalty, or affiliate programs. So that existing, already satisfied customers can help attract new customers. <\/p>\n\n
Word-of-mouth marketing is very effective<\/strong>, so let’s not dismiss it just because it seems old-fashioned.<\/p>\n\n
Important!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
The key is to always look for ways to highlight the product’s key differentiators against its potential competitors, so that we find a competitive advantage.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
In this phase, email marketing is still very useful.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
Because it enables several key actions:<\/p>\n\n
- \n
- Maintain communication and brand recall with customers<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Use up-selling<\/a> and cross-selling strategies<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Sending newsletters with offers and special promotions<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Etc.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
In other words, this is a phase in which email marketing campaigns<\/a> can, and should, be very active.<\/p>\n\n
Even more so today, when SEO, social media, and all sources of free traffic are being eaten by AI.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
![\"Product](\"https:\/\/mailrelay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/conversion.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\nSupport your product at every stage with email marketing<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Announce launches, share news and build customer loyalty from a single tool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nCreate a free account<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\nStage 3: maturity<\/h2>\n\n
A mature product is one that has become stable.<\/p>\n\n
In this phase, the product must be profitable.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
If it reaches maturity without being profitable, something is wrong. Maybe we are insisting on a business model that makes no sense, or on a product that only operates at a loss.<\/p>\n\n
That said, <\/strong>we can’t compare ourselves with large companies that operate at a loss, <\/strong>hoping to dominate the market niche and then, once all the competitors have disappeared, become profitable.<\/p>\n\n
Because if that’s what you’re considering, you’re going to need an investment as epic as your determination, and you’ll probably need investors who back you and believe in your idea. <\/strong> <\/p>\n\n
That said, in this phase customers already know the product, trust it, or at least take it into consideration in their decisions.<\/p>\n\n
Marketing investment needs to stay strong, as competition will be high<\/strong> unless you’ve achieved a monopoly, in which case, congratulations.<\/p>\n\n
Strategies in the maturity phase<\/h3>\n\n
In this case, the strategies continue to be varied:<\/p>\n\n
- \n
- Customer acquisition strategies continue, of course<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Work on differentiating yourself from the competition<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Work on customer loyalty and retention<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- And on preventing churn<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
Of course, market studies, analysis of customers and their use of the product, are important.<\/p>\n\n
And always keep an eye on the evolution of the product, the market, the competition.<\/p>\n\n
Does it seem like a lot of work?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
It is, but it is worth it because the product in this phase is profitable.<\/p>\n\n
Some strategies you can use in this phase could be:<\/p>\n\n
- \n
- Reinforce loyalty strategies<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Improve the product, or create a product range,<\/strong> based on specific customer needs (drawing on their feedback)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Analyze and expand into new markets (geographic, types of buyers, etc.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
In this stage, email marketing continues to be used, of course.<\/p>\n\n
In fact, if you have done the job well, your contact list in this stage of the product life cycle will be large.<\/p>\n\n
This contact list should help you maintain interest in your product.<\/p>\n\n
Use key dates, like Christmas, Black Friday, and others to send promotions.<\/p>\n\n
The best part is that at this stage you’ll already have a lot of analytics data from all the campaigns you’ve sent.<\/p>\n\n
- \n
- Opens<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Clicks<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Links visited<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Etc.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
With all this information, you can know well what interests your customers and contacts the most.<\/p>\n\n
And with that, develop new ideas.<\/p>\n\n
The advantages of email marketing in this stage are very interesting, but they can be summarized as:<\/p>\n\n
- \n
- Low cost<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Profitability<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Scalability<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
And unlike other tools, email marketing can greatly increase its volume and reach without this representing a much higher expense.<\/p>\n\n
![\"Stage](\"https:\/\/mailrelay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/marketing-problems.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\nStage 4: decline<\/h2>\n\n
Nothing lasts forever, and of course, products don’t either.<\/p>\n\n
Whether a new, better product appears, a better solution, or simply a new trend, a change in customer preferences or whatever else, the fact is that products can go into decline.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
Normally, unless, for example, there is a legislative change that prevents the product from being sold, the decline is gradual.<\/p>\n\n
Market share is gradually lost, and profits are reduced.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
At that moment, several options must be considered:<\/p>\n\n
- \n
- 1) Accept it and make profits while they last. Perhaps trying to reduce costs as much as possible.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 2) Try some changes (branding, image, strategy, etc.) to keep the product active for longer.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 3) Improve the product or add functionalities, if possible.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 4) Discontinue the product before it starts generating losses.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
In short, it is a business decision that must be made taking into account many factors that must be analyzed in each specific case.<\/p>\n\n
Except in cases (2) and (3), marketing investment is usually reduced in this phase of the product life cycle, its decline. If you have several products, the BCG matrix<\/a> helps you decide which ones to spend that budget on.<\/p>\n\n
Simply because the product no longer justifies the investment.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
Email marketing continues to be one of the marketing tools that makes the most sense in this phase, given that it is cost-effective and still reaches a large volume of contacts.<\/p>\n\n
In fact, if there’s a rebranding, image change or improvement, it’s the most effective way to make sure you reach all your customers and inform them of these changes or news.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
![\"Mailing,](\"https:\/\/mailrelay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/email-marketing.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\nStrategies in the decline phase<\/h3>\n\n
When sales keep falling, you have three options:<\/p>\n\n
- \n
- Maintain:<\/strong> keep selling to loyal customers with minimal investment and no acquisition campaigns.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Relaunch:<\/strong> refresh the product with an improvement, a new format or a new audience.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Withdraw:<\/strong> stop selling it in an orderly way and steer customers towards a replacement product.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
In all three cases, let your customers know by email before anyone else. This is when it’s easiest to lose their trust.<\/p>\n\n
Product life cycle examples and which emails to send at each stage<\/h2>\n\n
Here’s what each stage looks like with a generic example:<\/p>\n\n
- Relaunch:<\/strong> refresh the product with an improvement, a new format or a new audience.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Maintain:<\/strong> keep selling to loyal customers with minimal investment and no acquisition campaigns.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Analyze and expand into new markets (geographic, types of buyers, etc.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
- Launch campaigns on social media, videos, digital press, websites, blogs, etc. Wherever you think your potential customers will be, of course.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Growth<\/strong>: the phase in which the product gets more sales and becomes established in the market<\/li>\n\n\n\n
![\"Infographic](\"https:\/\/mailrelay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/email-cada-etapa-ciclo-de-vida.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n![\"Jose](\"https:\/\/mailrelay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/jose-argudo-cmo-mailrelay.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n