MSME DIGEST with Kola Owolabi
REVERSE ENTREPRENEURSHIP Series (6)
The presence of impulse products like sweets and biscuits in a supermarket’s front window does one thing to passers-by. They look at the direction of the supermarket and depending on how hungry they are (particularly if small children are with them), they are likely to be forced to branch to have a piece of the sweet things. Upon going in, they get to see other products on display, and with the pressure of the children with them, they are likely to end up deep inside the supermarket and may end up coming out with a big shopping bag full of products they didn’t set out to buy when they came out of their houses.
One of the core principles of the emerging Reverse Entrepreneurship concept is simple but powerful: don’t start a business by pushing what you want to sell, start by attracting people first, and then lead them to what you truly want to sell. This is where the strategy of front-end and back-end product packaging becomes indispensable.
Traditional entrepreneurship often encourages founders to build a “perfect” product and then look for customers. Reverse Entrepreneurship flips this thinking. It emphasizes creating easy entry points into your business, what we call front-end products that naturally lead customers toward your back-end products, which are your real profit drivers.
A front-end product is your attraction tool. It is designed to be simple, affordable, and highly appealing. Sometimes it may even be free or sold at minimal profit. Its job is to remove resistance and get people through the door, physically or digitally. The back-end product, however, is where your real business lies. It is more valuable, more comprehensive, and more profitable.
This approach is not theoretical; it is already widely used in everyday business.
Consider the typical supermarket story related at the beginning of this piece. Attractive sweets, chocolates, and cookies are placed strategically at the entrance or checkout points. These items trigger impulse decisions and pull customers into the store. But the supermarket’s real profit does not come from those low-cost items. Once inside, customers encounter a wide range of higher-value goods, food items, household supplies, and bulk purchases, which significantly increase the total basket size. The front-end has done its job: it got the customer in.
In the digital economy, the same principle is even more powerful. Many organizations offer free e-books, webinars, or mini-courses. A free e-book on business growth, for instance, attracts thousands of readers. But embedded within that content are pathways to premium offerings, consulting services, advanced training programs, or exclusive memberships. The free content builds trust and demonstrates value, making it easier for customers to commit to higher-priced services.
Telecommunication companies also operate this model effectively. Free SIM cards, welcome bonuses, and discounted starter plans are used to onboard customers quickly. Once customers are integrated into the network, they are gradually introduced to more profitable data plans, subscriptions, and add-on services. The initial offer is not the end goal, it is the beginning of the relationship.
Reverse Entrepreneurship teaches that market penetration is not a bout forcing sales; it is about designing a journey. People rarely commit to expensive or complex solutions at first contact. They need a low-risk way to experience your value. Front-end products provide that experience.
For entrepreneurs, especially in emerging markets, this approach offers a practical pathway to growth. Instead of waiting until you can fully fund a large-scale business, you can start with a simple, attractive offer that draws attention and generates traffic. From there, you build relationships, establish trust, and introduce your more valuable back-end products.
The key is intentional design. Your front-end product must be closely aligned with your back-end offering. It should not just attract people, it should attract the right people who are likely to need your core services.
As Reverse Entrepreneurship continues to unfold, one lesson becomes increasingly clear: success is not just about having a great product. It is about structuring how customers encounter that product. When you master the art of front-end attraction and back-end conversion, you don’t just enter the market, you penetrate it quickly and sustainably.
Kola Owolabi is a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Management Consultants (FIMC.CMC) and Chief Executive Officer of David Solomon Consulting Limited, based in Igbesa, a suburb of metropolitan Lagos. The company can be reached via phone or WhatsApp 08023203198
