Black Knight to Acquire Top of Mind Networks, Adding AI-Driven Marketing Automation to Integrated Mortgage Technology Ecosystem

 

Black Knight, Inc. , an award-winning software, data and analytics provider to the mortgage and consumer loan, real estate and capital markets verticals, announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to purchase Top of Mind Networks (Top of Mind), developer of Surefire, a leading customer relationship management (CRM) and marketing automation system for the mortgage industry, for approximately $250 million in cash. Top of Mind was previously majority owned by Primus Capital, with significant minority ownership by the company’s original founders.

“Through its Surefire marketing automation and CRM platform, Top of Mind has brought incredible value to the sales and marketing side of the mortgage industry by helping lenders gain powerful competitive advantages for their loan officers,” said Anthony Jabbour, CEO, Black Knight.  “Integrating Surefire’s capabilities within the wider Black Knight mortgage technology ecosystem will make it possible for lender clients of all sizes to close more loans and create customers for life.”

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The Surefire platform helps thousands of mortgage professionals – from individuals, to mid-sized firms, to enterprises – win new and repeat business. Its intuitive, automated workflows and award-winning personalized content inspire emotional connections with customers, helping to increase sales and improve recapture and retention. Unique workflows with relevant, rich content categories are easily deployable across all marketing channels, while out-of-the-box integrations provide interconnectivity to major loan origination systems, CRMs, points of sale, lead sources and sales acceleration systems.

“Top of Mind and Black Knight are a great strategic fit because we both share a passion for delivering innovation, adding value and driving growth for our clients,” said Top of Mind CEO Bill Hayes. “Our team is looking forward to working with Black Knight to help lenders and servicers create customers for life by engaging their customers with timely communications and highly personalized touchpoints, while helping clients stay compliant in their marketing efforts.”

Black Knight will initially focus on integrating Surefire with its Empower loan origination system (LOS) and enhancing integrations with its Optimal Blue PPE (product, pricing and eligibility engine) before creating new connections and integrations to serve both lenders and servicers. Future development will include growth opportunities for servicers’ borrower retention via Servicing Digital and Realtor lead development for lenders through Black Knight’s Paragon MLS platform.

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Overview of Offerings

Top of Mind solutions modernize mortgage workflow, compliance and the digital customer experience. To enable lenders and mortgage professionals to create customers for life by cultivating and maintaining customer relationships, the Top of Mind Surefire platform:

• Extends and enriches existing channels by supporting lead generation through integrations with point-of-sale platforms, social media and web sites; instant lead routings; automatic database updates; and partner channel integration.

• Converts leads to applications with speed, helping clients maintain a competitive edge and convert leads with best-in-class tools; prospect workflows; immediate lead follow-up; and AI-driven prospect targeting.

• Helps lenders close more loans by automatically educating and assisting clients through the loan process via dedicated educational workflows; credit repair guides; and automated communications.

• Maximizes repeat and referral business by cultivating and maintaining customer relationships; providing client listing alerts; personalizing follow-up content; and initiating post-close campaigns.

• Provides an unparalleled customer experience through education, timely content, additional materials to guide their borrowing journey, and offers of help throughout the application process.

• Creates a seamless customer experience by delivering the same interactive, engaging marketing content through mobile devices.

• Develops and delivers the right message by using creative content via prospects’ or customers’ medium(s) of choice.

“The acquisition of Top of Mind is a continuation of our strategy to deliver innovative solutions to our clients that will help them achieve their strategic priorities,” Jabbour added. “Our combined clients will be able to access additional market-leading offerings from a single, trusted provider, while we will be able to further expand Black Knight’s opportunities to cross-sell our solutions through Top of Mind’s broad reach among more than 850 commercial banks, mortgage banks, credit unions and mortgage brokerage companies.”

Transaction Details

The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2021, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory review. Black Knight anticipates the acquisition of Top of Mind will contribute approximately $13 million in incremental revenue to Black Knight’s Origination Software business in the second half of 2021, subject to transaction timing.

Trasimene Capital Management acted as the financial advisor, and Smith Hulsey & Busey acted as legal advisor, to Black Knight.

Vaquero Capital acted as financial advisor, and Goodwin Procter LLP acted as legal advisor, to Top of Mind.