Benesafe Solutions came to be when Esther Salata and her family found themselves spending more time outdoors due to COVID-19 restrictions. As a result of being outside so much, she and her family, including their dog Benny, were constantly being bombarded with various pests! To address this issue, they began looking for a product in stores that would be safe for both them and Benny, but when they couldn’t find one that met their preferences, they decided to create it themselves and Benesafe Solutions was born! Benesafe Solutions provides DIY all-natural insect control spray that keeps mosquitoes, fleas, and ticks away while keeping your families, pets, & the environment safe. Products are formulated without toxic chemicals commonly found in other insect repellants. 

As a client of Lehigh University SBDC, Salata was familiar with Small Business Development Center core services but had been looking for ways to improve her business’s digital presence, which is how she learned about the Pennsylvania Digital Transformation and e-Commerce Program (PADTEP). PADTEP is a statewide program being offered through Temple’s SBDC to any clients of all Pennsylvania SBDCs. 

Salata decided to utilize these digital transformation services and apply them to her social media and website. First steps included receiving audits for her various social media channels and an SEO audit for her current website. Once the audits were completed, she met with the team, reviewed the reports, and discussed improvement recommendations. She then applied to the Temple SBDC Digital Connect program, where clients are paired with a team of student for assistance in creating a brand-new website or altering a current website.      

The Digital Connect team assisted Benesafe Solutions with: 

– Implementing SEO and keyword strategies revolving around plant, organic, natural bug repellent, and DIY

– Adding new Shopify apps that optimize user experience by removing broken links and boosting overall site speed

– Finding a Google Reviews widget

– Removing unnecessary features displayed on the website, eg: Customer Account

– Adding a first-time website landing page pop-up

– Fixing customer automation that had been preventing welcome newsletters from going out. 

Temple SBDC looks forward to continuing to work with Salata and Benesafe Solutions on any additional digital needs!