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Turning Dull Topics Into Real Leads

DesignStrategyDigital Marketing
2024 → 2025

Tax and payroll are not subjects that anybody downloads for fun. We planned Sage's lead magnets six months at a time so that each ebook fed into the next, turning the least exciting parts of running a business into something worth an email address for.

Sage ebook and lead magnet designs

Six months of lead magnets, planned at once

Most lead magnets are made one at a time, in a rush, whenever a campaign needs something to gate. We did the opposite for Sage: we planned their lead magnet design six months at a time, so each ebook was built knowing what came before and after it. Sage came to ThinkStory for exactly that kind of planning. That single change, planning the series instead of the piece, is what turned a pile of downloads into something that actually adds up.

  • Lead magnets that had to feed email campaigns, not just exist
  • Subjects, tax and payroll, that nobody downloads for fun
  • A steady stream of new pieces without the usual last-minute scramble

Making tax and payroll worth downloading

The honest problem with the subject matter is that nobody wakes up wanting to read about payroll. Tax and compliance are the parts of running a business people avoid, which is exactly why a genuinely useful guide is worth an email address: it takes something dreaded and makes it manageable. So we treated each ebook as a real answer to a real worry, not a brochure with a download button, which is the difference between a lead magnet people keep and one they regret giving their address for. The reward for getting it right is a download someone actually finishes.

How each ebook was built

Each guide turned a complicated business topic into something clear and usable: plain language, a proper structure, and design that made a dry subject easy to move through. Because the series was planned ahead, an ebook could pick up where the last one left off, so a reader who downloaded one had an obvious reason to come back for the next. The design carried Sage's brand throughout, so the whole run felt like one library rather than a set of one-offs. A lead magnet that is hard to read is a lead magnet that gets closed, so the design did as much work as the words.

What the series does for Sage

For Sage, the series feeds the top of the funnel: the ebooks give email campaigns and direct marketing across South Africa something worth sending, and give a prospective customer a reason to hand over their details in the first place. The sales team inherits a warmer contact than a cold list ever gives them. Because they are planned as a run, they keep doing that month after month, rather than being one good download and then silence.

A repeatable content engine

A good B2B lead magnet solves a real problem for the reader and earns the email address honestly, rather than trapping it. Planning six months at a time turned Sage's lead magnets from scattered one-offs into a repeatable content engine, one that keeps producing reasons to subscribe out of the least exciting parts of running a business. The topics do not have to be exciting; the help does.

Common questions.

What makes a good B2B lead magnet?

It solves a real problem for the reader and earns the email address honestly. For Sage we built ebooks that turned dreaded topics like tax and payroll into genuinely useful guides, so people were glad they downloaded them rather than regretting the sign-up.

Why plan lead magnets months in advance?

Planning a series means each piece builds on the last, so a reader who downloads one has a reason to come back. We planned Sage's lead magnets six months at a time, which turned scattered one-offs into a content engine that keeps generating leads.

How do you make a boring subject worth downloading?

Treat it as a real answer to a real worry, not a brochure. Tax and payroll are exactly the parts of business people avoid, so a clear, well-designed guide that makes them manageable is worth an email address.

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I really enjoyed working with ThinkStory on our eBooks and customer video testimonials. They were a strategic and collaborative partner from the start. They are always well-prepared, proactive, and clear in their communication. I appreciated how quickly they responded to feedback and how easy it was to work with them, even under tight timelines.

They regularly shared helpful guidance and insights that strengthened our campaigns and helped us stay aligned with our goals. The final deliverables were consistently high quality, on-brand, and impactful. Overall, it felt like working with a true extension of our internal team.

Anele Malinga
Anele MalingaNCA Marketing ManagerSage Accounting

Our collaboration with ThinkStory has become an indispensable part of how we approach content strategy and creative execution at Sage. It's more than just delivering projects. It's a deeply strategic relationship grounded in thoughtful conversations, shared goals, and a genuine drive to elevate our work for our HR & Payroll, Accounting & Finance and Small product portfolios.

From impactful video testimonials and polished written content to compelling presentations and tailored advert development, ThinkStory has consistently delivered with excellence across multiple formats and campaigns. Their agility in implementing stakeholder feedback, often within hours, is a game-changer, and their dedication to quality never comes with friction or unnecessary costs.

What sets ThinkStory apart is not just their creative expertise, but their commitment to guiding us with valuable insights and improvements that enhance every project. Their counsel is as trusted as their craftsmanship, and the outcome is always something we're proud to showcase.

Working with the ThinkStory team is effortless and energising. There's a human warmth behind the professionalism that makes them our go-to partner, not just for the work, but for the trust, reliability, and shared pride in every deliverable.

I have found ThinkStory to be very knowledgeable in different fields regarding video, written and thought leadership content. They are always providing valuable insights and improvements to the different projects we run with them which makes our job easier.

I absolutely love working with ThinkStory, not just for the work they do but also the human and connection aspect they bring when working with us as a client. ThinkStory will always be my go-to agency for video and written content and their final outcome.

We look forward to many more standout collaborations ahead.

Jachin Thomas
Jachin ThomasSenior Marketing ExecutiveSage Accounting

Working with ThinkStory has been a truly collaborative and strategic experience. From developing our Sage Spotlight Success Stories, across video, written, and design formats, to crafting compelling presentations and speechwriting support, they've consistently delivered high-quality, impactful work.

Their ability to respond quickly to feedback and implement changes with speed and accuracy made the process seamless. We especially valued their proactive guidance and creative input, which strengthened the final outcomes.

Their work is always on-brand, timely, and effective. It's been a pleasure partnering with a team that genuinely understands our goals and consistently adds value at every stage.

Roshika Seonandan
Roshika SeonandanPerformance Marketing ManagerSage Accounting

Sage South Africa has been working with ThinkStory on a number of big projects and have been incredibly impressed with their professionalism, high standard of work produced and the effort put in to build relationships and deliver on-time.

I would highly recommend ThinkStory to tell your business story so that it resonates with your customers in a unique, dynamic and professional way.

Ashleigh du Plessis
Ashleigh du PlessisProgram Marketing ManagerSage Accounting

Please can I take a few minutes of your time to thank you for the professional service we received from you and your team.

As you know, Sage is very specific about our suppliers, and many don't make it onto our supplier list. We have 3 agencies listed, and ThinkStory is Customer Experiences' preferred supplier. Having worked with you and your team to coordinate the South African Success Story winners photo shoots, I can recommend your services to anyone needing the same kind of assistance. The Success Story photo shoot is very prestigious, and the winners receive their books and prizes in a global ceremony which includes our senior management. Therefore, the quality of the shoot is of utmost importance.

You kept us in the loop with the arrangements, arrived on time and were fully prepared for everything we needed. I was grateful for your flexibility, as things tend to go wrong when groups of people are concerned, but you handled our speedbumps with professionalism and efficiency.

The final results were faultless and delivered on time.

I am so grateful to you and your team and will not hesitate to utilise your services again.

Sandra Darier
Sandra DarierCustomer Experience Manager NPSSage Accounting

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