I guess an outward sign that your product has crossed a threshold is the tone of your marketing efforts.

When you are merely communicating the benefits of your product, when all you do is inform, then you are in a “Blue Ocean”, a place where your product “sells itself”.

Once your marketing changes from communicating to convincing, you have lost that edge.

All of a sudden, there are options that your customer might consider. Options powerful enough that she needs to be convinced to stay. It starts soft, with comparative claims. It will, however descend. Once you have reached the point of coupons and other kickbacks, of giving back something else but your product for a purchase, that is when you should seriously take a look at your product and shift gears. Now all that matters is cost. And as such, even the marketing expense is lost profit.

It seems that at this point, the marketing campaign has lost its luster, and you have been commoditized.

What an interesting way to plan a marketing life cycle.