• If you are just starting out dealing in spread bets, do not panic, go at your own speed, not that of anybody else's
• First Rule - Make sure that you are at all times clear in what you want to do
• Therefore work out exactly what you want to do before you pick up the telephone, or at least have a very good idea
• Once you call your spread bet broker, ask him for a quote and month in the product that you're interested in
• But never reveal which way you want to trade, i.e. don't tell him before he quotes you a price that you want to buy
• In the example below, assume that you want to go long £5 of the FTSE 100 Index

The Telephone Conversation may well go something like this;

• In both of these calls both the client and the broker were very efficient and clear with each other, and this is how you should try and operate at all times
• It is also a common practice to call up and ask for a quote without doing business, as perhaps the price doesn't tempt you. For example you might be in your car and just want to phone up to check where the market is
• If you want to place any other type of order perhaps a limit buy order or a stop loss then you can still ask the spread betting broker for a quote before giving them a clear order;