Partner Program
What is the ICE Panel Partner Program?
Not only are we committed to sustainable building solutions, but we are also committed to building sustainable relationships.
The ICE Panel Partner Program works to support approved ICE Panel Partners in their commitment to energy efficient construction by providing official association opportunities to builders and developers that have established a high-quality relationship with Greenstone Building Products and have proven that their values and business goals align with that of GSBP.
The Benefits of the Partner Program
Partner Badge: Approved partners are provided with the official ICE Panel Partner Badge to use in conjunction with your own company branding.
Guiding Documents: Greenstone provides their partners with a comprehensive guiding document outlining how to succeed in the program. This includes best practices for incorporating the ICE Panel branding with your company brand, and how to best market the ICE Panels in your area.
Exclusive Project Pricing: To ensure ICE Panel Partners are competitive in the market, we provide a tiered pricing discount structure on a per-volume basis.
Inbound Leads: The goal of the ICE Panel Partner program is to support the partners as liaisons between Greenstone and the end user. Inbound leads received by our customer service team will be directed to a partner in their area whenever possible.
Partner Portal: You will receive exclusive online access to the Partner Portal where you can download marketing assets, access ICE Panel documentation, and order promotional items as well as large and small format marketing materials.
Marketing Support: We are here to help you effectively market the ICE Panels to your target audience. Social media post captions and images, sample online ad messaging, and ICE Panel presentations are some of the materials available.
Hosted Events: ICE Panel Partners will be invited to annual learning and networking events hosted by Greenstone’s customer service team. Additionally, partners will be given the opportunity to host ICE Panel events, look and learn experiences, and other education/sales events.
Trade Show Support: Attending a trade show? Greenstone’s customer service team is available to provide additional sales support. We will work with your team to connect with potential ICE Panel customers at your booth, providing you with additional project leads.
Affiliate Promotions: ICE Panel Partners (and approved builders in training) will be featured on the Find a Builder page. Greenstone will also feature Partners on their social media channels. Other additional promotional opportunities will be offered as they become available, such as guest spots in featured videos, webinars, etc.
How to Become a Partner
The ICE Panel Partner Program is available to builders and developers who meet the following criteria:
PROVEN EXPERIENCE: Applicants are required to complete a minimum of 3-5 ICE Panel projects to qualify for Partner status (number
dependent on project scope).
COMPLETED INSTALL TRAINING: Applicants are required to have completed the on-site or virtual ICE Panel installation training as well as maintain compliance with all engineering standards.
UPSTANDING ACCOUNT HISTORY: The applicant has a clear billing history of on-time payments, provides project criteria, responds to RFIs in a timely manner, etc.
ALIGNED BUSINESS GOALS: Applicants are reviewed to determine if their business goals and values match those of GSBP. We aim to align our company with others that uphold our customer service/satisfaction standards.
Partner Status: A Tiered Approach.
LEVEL 1: BUILDER-IN-TRAINING
- You have attended a Look and Learn event.
- You are working towards completing the Partner Program requirements.
LEVEL 2: TRAINED BUILDER
- You have received your first virtual training session and have completed your first ICE Panel project.
- You are working towards completing the Partner Program requirements (see section “How to become a Partner”).
LEVEL 3: PARTNER
- You have completed a minimum of 3-5 ICE Panel projects and the virtual training for each build.
- You have an upstanding account history (details in “How to Become a Partner” section).
- Your business goals align with that of Greenstone Building Products.
- You account has been reviewed and approved for Partner status.
Frequently Asked Questions:
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I’ve placed my first ICE Panel order – am I a Partner now?
The first ICE Panel building order alone does not qualify a builder/developer for partner status. There are other qualifying criteria that need to be met.
How does a builder complete the required install training?
Install training is provided to you by our technical representative before your first ICE Panel project. The training sessions are usually a video call or in some cases it will take place on-site. Our customer service team will decide which training platform is best for your project, and will work with you to make arrangements and schedule your training.
As a builder working their way to becoming a qualified partner, how do I advertise the ICE Panel?
We encourage you to create a page on your website that provides content for your customers to review. If you do not currently have a website or need something to direct them to while you are adding the content to your website, feel free to direct potential customers to GSBP.CA or our social media channels for information on the ICE Panel.
What steps and/or assurances can we take to be sure I’m not being bypassed by people I speak with in my area about the product?
We prefer to deal with repeat builders and partners as a relationship has been established, the install training has been completed, and repeat customers understand our process. While we can’t give assurances, we can tell you that we are relationship-focused and if there is an opportunity to pass a lead on to one of our Partners, we will certainly do that.
What sort of marketing does Greenstone provide to its customers? Does Greenstone provide custom marketing plans for each partner?
We provide our partners with an online portal that houses marketing assets such as partner branding, social media posts, printable brochure files as well as an online store where partners can purchase branded promo items at a prorated cost. A guiding document is also provided, outlining appropriate use of the assets available. Greenstone does not provide custom marketing plans or support for partners. We provide you and your inhouse marketing team the assets you will need to promote and market the ICE Panels to your customers.
The benefits section outlines “lead generation” for partners. What does this mean?
Organic lead generation is provided to our partners by the Greenstone customer service team. When leads contact us directly, our first step is to review whether there is an authorized partner in their area. We then redirect the lead to connect with the regional partner.
How should I promote the ICE Panels?
The thing to remember is that your company brand comes first. The ICE Panel and your partner badge should always be secondary to your brand. It is only part of your business, and therefore should be subtle, and less prominent. If you are not yet a partner, you can still promote that you offer ICE Panel construction, but we recommend that you utilize the GSBP website to educate your customers. If you are a partner, reference the Partner Program Guidelines documents for helpful information when looking to understand how best to advertise/promote your ICE Panel offer.
What has been the biggest struggle in selling this product?
An ICE Panel quote tends to come in higher than traditional lumber construction. Our team does a great job outlining the additional benefits to paying more upfront, as you will save that initial investment (plus more) over the course of the building’s lifetime in reduced energy and utility costs. As energy codes come into effect across the country, ICE Panels become very price competitive (ie. BC step codes).
Educating customers about building with a panelized system is another challenge. Timeline expectations are generally that of traditional building methods but building with ICE Panels requires more upfront planning. We are a structural building envelope, so we need layout and shop drawings for all other structural elements of the build as well as finalized RO’s before we begin design. This can extend timelines for those customers that aren’t willing to make all those decisions upfront. Managing the client’s expectations about this process is an ongoing challenge. Those who buy in see the value of receiving a model of their build showing how all the structural components work together. Conflicting information becomes apparent, preventing issues onsite down the line. This makes the install process seamless.
What has worked well in selling this product?
Customers tell us time and again how much they love how user-friendly the product is. We have had handy homeowners construct their building envelope on their own after on-site training, and they love it. Builders and developers like the ICE Panel because it is a prefabricated building. The panels arrive on site, and the envelope is ready to be erected. The ICE Panel process is extremely efficient as it combines multiple construction steps into one. Building with ICE Panels allows for extended construction seasons. By completing the building assembly faster, crews can start interior work sooner, and in a more comfortable environment. ICE Panel builders have been able to comfortably heat a closed in 3-storey building with one construction heater.
DISCLAIMER: The term “Partner” or “Authorized Partner” shall not be construed as creating any agency, partnership, franchise, business opportunity, joint venture, or other form of joint enterprise, employment or fiduciary relationship between the parties, and neither party shall have authority to contract for or bind the other party in any manner whatsoever, except as provided in an official ICE Panel Partner Agreement.