An e-book is simply a downloadable book, typically delivered in the universally-available Adobe Acrobat PDF format. Radial's Health & Wellness Business Trends Report is an example of an e-book.

It's very simple. First, create your document using the application that best suits your content and is most comfortable for you to use. Most e-book authors use Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint or Microsoft Publisher.

Then, install PDF creation software. Good choices include the free CutePDF Writer and PDF Create (about $50). This software installs itself as if it were a printer.

To create your PDF document, you simply choose the PDF "printer" and press Print.

Voila!

If you simply want to promote your business, the most successful e-book topics focus on personal growth and health. For example, a book of customer success stories like "Secrets Of The Sisterhood: Twenty-Five Women Share Their Stories of Cancer Hope & Healing" is an excellent way to promote your cancer exercise program.

However, if your primary goal is generating income, choose "how-to" or instructional topics, since these generally command a higher price.

Once you've determined your goal - promotion or income - choose a topic that you're certain your potential customers care passionately about. Make sure that you can write about this subject with confidence and expertise.

Next, make sure that your topic is totally consistent with the focus of your wellness business. If you don't offer nutritional services, don't write an e-book about "Fueling For Top Performance."

Finally, narrowly focus your topic and write about it exhaustively. While this may seem counterintuitive, a highly focused e-book on "Fitness For Breast Cancer Survivors" will generally sell better than "Fitness For Cancer Survivors".

And "Fitness For Cancer Survivors" will sell better than "Fitness Tips For Women."

Most businesses offer their e-books exclusively online and deliver them via an email link once the purchase is complete. If you have a physical location like a health club or personal training studio, you should also market your e-book in a point-of-sale CD/DVD display.

E-junkie and Clickbank both specialize in e-commerce for digital products like e-books, audio products and video products. They store your e-book online so that they can automatically deliver it 24/7 to to buyers. They also provide the online payment process.

If you're interested in having other online businesses sell your e-book - or you'd like to sell others' e-books or audio and video products yourself - they also provide affiliate marketing programs.

Red flag: sending your e-book as an email attachment each time it's sold.

First, instant gratification is a major e-book selling-point. Second, this approach is manageable only for very small PDF files and a very low volume of sales. It'll fall apart fast for larger PDFs and/or a higher sales volume.

First, set the price. If you simply want to promote your wellness business, you'll want to offer your e-book for a relatively low price, perhaps even free.

If your goal is passive income, as a rule of thumb customers will pay around $25 for a forty-page book. They'll pay $10 - $15 for books with 10 - 20 or so pages.

Before publication:

• Provide "coming soon" teasers on your website, in your newsletter, blog, on displays at your brick-and-mortar business, etc.
• Hold a drawing for five free copies in exchange for testimonials and recommendations
• Create a landing page on your website specifically for your e-book

  Your landing page should include a "hero shot" (the e-book's cover), table of contents, several sample chapters, and the customer testimonials and recommendations that emerged from your pre-publication drawing.

After publication:

• Promote it in your wellness business (for example, at the front desk), on your blog and in your newsletter
• Ask your network to place displays in their businesses, mention it in their blogs, newsletters, etc.
• Post short excerpts from your e-book at article submission sites like EzineArticles.com and include a link to your e-book's landing page
• If your customers use social media tools, promote it on social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn
• Continue boosting customer testimonials by emailing buyers a week later to get their feedback for your landing page