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Turning Customer Stories Into New Business

MediaSocial MediaDigital Marketing
2025

Sage is one of our longest-standing partners. The Spotlight programme has grown into a large library of B2B customer testimonial films that now shape Sage's marketing strategy, run through their sales channels, and give their whole team the confidence to communicate with prospects.

On set for a Sage Spotlight customer story film

A growing library of customer stories

Sage is one of ThinkStory's longest-standing partners, and the Spotlight programme has grown into something bigger than any single film: a large and still-growing library of Sage customers telling their own stories on camera. Each one is a complete B2B testimonial, produced end to end, and together they have become one of the most useful things in Sage's marketing. The idea is simple and hard to beat: let real customers do the talking.

  • Prospects who trust a business like their own far more than any advert
  • Sales and marketing teams that needed real proof, not just claims
  • A story worth telling behind every single Sage customer

Real customers, doing the convincing

A B2B buyer weighing up accounting or payroll software does not want to hear a vendor describe itself. They want to hear from a company in their own position, who took the same decision and can say how it went. That is exactly what each Spotlight delivers: a real Sage customer, at ease and speaking plainly, making the case in a way a brand never can for itself. Across the programme we have now captured dozens of these stories, and every one adds another voice to the argument for Sage.

The final films

A selection of the customer stories we have filmed for Sage. Each one is a real business, in their own words, on why they trust Sage.

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Shaping how Sage goes to market

These testimonials do not sit in a folder; they shape Sage's marketing strategy. They anchor campaigns, fill landing pages and give the website real people instead of stock promises, so wherever a prospect meets Sage, there is proof waiting for them. Having a deep bank of customer stories to pull from changes how the marketing team plans: they can lead with evidence, match a story to an audience, and build around what real customers actually value.

The written case studies

Every spotlight also becomes a full written case study, the piece Sage pulls quotes and stories from for their website and sales. Here are a few we have produced.

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Proof that moves through the sales channels

The same films, and the shorter cuts we make from them, run straight through Sage's sales channels. A rep can send a prospect a story from a company much like theirs at the exact moment it matters, so a stranger's claim becomes a peer's recommendation. That is the kind of thing that shortens the path to a yes, and it has helped Sage improve how they bring new customers on board, turning interest into trust earlier in the conversation.

Out on social

These stories do not stay on our servers. Sage put them to work across their own channels, where their audience meets them.

Sage on LinkedInLinkedIn
Sage on LinkedInLinkedIn
Sage on LinkedInLinkedIn
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Confidence for the whole team

The biggest shift is harder to put on a slide: confidence. When a sales or marketing team has a wall of real customers vouching for the product, they speak differently. They stop hedging and start pointing to proof. The Spotlight library gives Sage's entire team, on both the sales and the marketing side, the backing to communicate with prospects clearly and without doubt, because everything they say is already backed by someone who has lived it.

How the films get made

None of it works if the customer looks uncomfortable, so most of the craft happens before the camera rolls. We prepare each person, find the story worth telling, and shoot in a way that keeps a busy business owner sounding like themselves rather than reading a script. The result feels like a real conversation, which is the whole point, and it is why the films carry the weight they do.

Behind the scenes

A look at how these stories come together, on location with the customers and the crew.

Behind the scenes on a Sage Spotlight shoot
Behind the scenes on a Sage Spotlight shoot
Behind the scenes on a Sage Spotlight shoot
Behind the scenes on a Sage Spotlight shoot
Behind the scenes on a Sage Spotlight shoot
Behind the scenes on a Sage Spotlight shoot
Behind the scenes on a Sage Spotlight shoot
Behind the scenes on a Sage Spotlight shoot
Behind the scenes on a Sage Spotlight shoot
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A programme that keeps growing

Spotlight is not a campaign with an end date; it is an ongoing programme, and the library grows every time we film another customer. The more stories Sage has, the easier every marketing message and every sales conversation becomes, because there is always another voice to reach for. It is the kind of work that compounds, and it is one we are proud to keep building with Sage.

Common questions.

How do customer testimonials help B2B sales?

They let a prospect hear it from a peer instead of the brand. For Sage we produce a growing library of customer spotlight films that run across their website, campaigns and sales channels, so a new customer can see a business like their own already trusting Sage.

What does a customer spotlight programme include?

A complete, repeatable testimonial engine. For Sage we film real customers end to end and turn each into films and cutdowns, building a library the marketing and sales teams pull from again and again.

How do testimonials build a team's confidence?

Real proof changes how people sell. With a wall of genuine customer stories behind them, Sage's sales and marketing teams can point to evidence rather than make claims, which makes every prospect conversation easier.

SuccessStory shoot
SuccessStory

Turn happy clients into your best sales pitch.

Testimonial-style videos that build trust and close deals. From R50,000.

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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