Jacksonville, Florida-based software, data and analytics provider Black Knight has announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to purchase Top of Mind Networks.
Top of Mind is the developer of Surefire, a CRM and marketing automation system specialised for the mortgage industry, featuring automated workflows and personalised content to build emotional connections with customers and thus increase sales.
“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 personalised touchpoints, while helping clients stay compliant in their marketing efforts.”
Dedicated Mortgage Industry CRM
The platform’s capabilities include integrations with loan organisation, point of sale, sales origination and other CRM systems, with specific offerings tailored to modernising mortgage workflows. That includes compliance features, AI-powered prospect tracking, automatic education for lenders on the loan process and credit repair guides.
Black Knight, which focuses on the mortgage and consumer loan, real estate and capital markets verticals, framed the purchase as being synergistic with its loan origination system Empower and its Optimal Blue product, pricing and eligibility engine.
“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.”
The acquisition is to be made with approximately $250mn in cash, and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2021, pursuant to the usual conditions and regulations.
“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,” said Jabbour. “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.”
