HSM's 20-Step Guide to Following on a Trade Run--By Karina

1. Make sure you have at least 200k on you, 300k if you can but that is the MAX because of evil dragons.
2. Get to the post IMMEDIATELY, don't keep your formleader waiting.
3. Have your covered wagon already bought to save time.
4. If you know where the stables are, get warhorses (if possible) for yourself and your party.
5. Shield the tradepost room if you can.
6. Be all spelled, ticked, and ready to go.
7. Pay close attention when you are told what to buy. Don't spam your formleader asking, they are probably trying to figure out who should take what, but when they DO tell you be sure you get it so they don't have to repeat themselves.
8. Listen to your formleader. Save time by NOT secondguessing and arguing with them over ANYTHING.
9. Turn off color, clantalk, autoexits, town chat to cut down on the spam and lessen your chances for lag and losing link.
10. Turn on your afk with a message reading that you are trading.
11. Turn your brief on, brief move, brief combat, as well as caps (no, not caps lock, type caps on the game and you'll see what I mean - nifty feature)
12. Make sure you stay mounted.
13. Do your job in the form. If you're the only spellcaster, make sure everyone stay's lev'd, keep casting mass refresh. If you're a mage, even if there are other mages, make sure you keep everyone mass invis'd and shield the room every 20 steps or so. If you're a cleric, keep mass quick on everyone even if you are all mounted- no telling when some less than perfect person is going to lose his horse. If you are a non-spellcaster keep an eye out on the weather (!) and also survey for evil dragons and warn your formleader.
14. DO NOT spam formtalk. Make life easy on your formleader.
15. MOST IMPORTANTLY DO NOT WHISK DURING YOUR RUN. Avoid going afk longer than 2 minutes. Anything other than the bathroom can wait :P
16. Do not send messages or link during your trade run unless you get the go ahead from your formleader. It can wait, believe me. Type blocklink if you have to- people will understand.
17. When in a fight, do your part as you would during any other fight. Stay mounted though when possible.
18. DO NOT TICK unless your formleader says so. Be sure to remount after ticking, even if your sta and moves are better than a horse's. It just keeps things uniform and easier to handle.
19. Let your formleader sell first.
20. When you do sell, be sure to tip the driver, usually giving her the greater of 50k or 10% of your total run. Mostly, though, SHOW YOUR APPRECIATION. This person didn't have to take you on the run to begin with- be grateful even if the run sucked.