File under: client-led growth.

Once a month Clinton Gary's marketing and business development team at Burr & Forman sits down with their JD Supra reader data to understand what the firm's top clients need most - and to identify and act upon trends in the broader marketplace.

Click play on the video above to hear the story in Clinton's own words and to understand why Burr & Forman's Chief Strategy & Business Development Officer calls JD Supra the S&P 500 of the legal market.

The takeaways:

1. Use Your Analytics as a 'Voice of the Client'

Your clients tell you at every opportunity: "Know my business." As Clinton explains, that can be done by regularly accessing your firm's readership analytics for insights about top clients and prospects:

"I have three people on my team that look at the JD Supra information for thirty days, they package it up in the ten power point slides, and they present to our entire team. I then tap into the collective knowledge of my team to say, 'What did we hear? Now, what do we need to do?' Because now I have what I call is a defensible position."

...a defensible position; meaningful conversations...

"JD Supra's analytics have improved our ability to have meaningful conversations. If we pay attention to your data then you get us in the ballpark that I can tell my attorneys: 'If you say these three questions.. you are most likely going to hit on a spot in which our prospect, our client, will probably start talking about something that is keeping them awake at night.'"

2. Use Reader Data as a 'Voice of the Market' for Team & Industry Planning

JD Supra's broader, site-wide reader data available via Beacon Insights gives firms access to the broader regulatory trends across industries, practice areas, and specific topics. As Clinton says:

"The second part then comes in team-based planning. Let's pull one out: healthcare. Once a month, or once a quarter, I want to work with JD Supra and say, "Give me the same information by slice so now I can empower my healthcare team to understand the trends and the spikes."

...understand the trends and spikes.

"Trends are the things you are looking for. Underneath trends come catalysts, spikes, points ... and JD Supra does both, because you are large enough to give the basic trending information, but you are also detailed enough based upon the content and the strength of your technology platform to spot the spikes."

Your Next Steps

The big takeaway from Clinton's story: reader data is a powerful driver of client-led growth.

Your firm's own analytics (an assessment of who read your work) help you to understand your clients pressing needs right now - and, in Clinton's words, enable you to create meaningful face time between attorneys and their clients.

Broader insights from JD Supra's site-wide reader data enable you to see movements, trends, and new opportunities in the industries, sectors, and practice areas that matter most to your firm's growth. Tap into those insights!

Monitor your firm's own reader data regularly.

• Ensure that the right team members have the ability to log in and view analytics whenever they choose. Encourage your team to sign up for reguar Reader Highlight email alerts and your monthly analytics recap by email.
• Per Clinton's example: once a month, distill your reader analytics into a brief report for the entire team. Make sure your BD and marketing teams all get to see it.
• Dedicate your in-person meeting time to uncovering insights and opportunities in the reader data. Data is what helps marketing, comms, and BD work together as a team, with a shared sense of purpose and direction.

Tap into broader market trends

• Use Beacon Insights to extend the depth of your market intelligence, with a look at reader behaviors and interests across the entire JD Supra platform.
• Segment your insights by industry, individual company, and subject area reports for a view of trends and growth opportunities in your key areas. Find the trends that support client-led growth.

If you're interested in hearing more about the power of JD Supra's Beacon Insights dashboard, get in touch. Happy to talk about how we can support your growth.

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Paul Ryplewski is JD Supra's VP of Client Service