Meet Better Place Forests
A better way to leave the earth, in death
Better Place Forests is envisioning a better way to leave the earth, with a beautiful alternative to traditional cemetery burial. By purchasing a memorial tree in one of their many protected forests, for those that choose cremation in their end-of-life planning, they can be memorialized with a living tree that positively impacts the planet.
Role
Working with the agency Make&Model, our goal was to develop the digital strategy for updating BPF’s marketing site and bringing an online e-commerce experience to the web to help support the current sales funnels with their customer service team. The redesign of the site involved creating stronger narrative through updated content strategy, improved information architecture, and an adaptable design system.
Services
UX Research
Content & Brand Strategy
Information Architecture
Interaction Design & Prototyping for responsive web
Creative Direction
Visual UI Design
Discovery
The discovery process began with a kickoff to establish the business goals, design strategy, user audience, including interviewing the BPF team to understand the existing knowledge and experiences of selling trees through sales calls.
74% of research participants wanted to explore online themselves first before having a call with a sales representative or take an online quiz to determine the right tree for them.
We needed to understand how customers would shop for this kind of purchase, how they might make an informed decision, and we also asked, how might we create an online experience that feels as powerful as visiting the forest itself?
“If I can avoid talking to somebody on the phone and get the job done online first, that would be my choice.”
— User feedback from research study
UX Goals
Bring a sense of spatial location to help potential customers with discovery of trees as well as wayfinding using photography, 3D mapping, and sounds of the forest to add richness to the online experience
Offer multiple pathways of exploration: self-guided, quiz for recommendations, online chat, and online booking of representative call.
Better surface and explain what is inclusive within package pricing plus impact, as key motivators for purchase.
Create filtering to support the various wants of diverse buyers.
Illustrations by Ian Dickens at Make&Model
The Spruce Design System
Bring a sense of spatial location to help potential customers with discovery of trees as well as wayfinding using photography, 3D mapping, and sounds of the forest to add richness to the online experience.
Offer multiple pathways of exploration: self-guided, quiz for recommendations, online chat, and online booking of representative call.
Better surface and explain what is inclusive within package pricing plus impact, as key motivators for purchase.
Create filtering to support the various wants of diverse buyers.
This opportunity is so special and exciting. No other option better supports our parents’ conservation and environmental philosophy. They loved the forest, the outdoors, and the preservation of open space.
— Mark F., Better Place Forests, Point Arena Forest, CA
