Negotiation course

In this course you learn to negotiate effectively. You practise questioning techniques, persuasiveness and assertiveness in order to achieve win-win situations.

8.3 from 29 reviews 4,6 on Google NRTO quality mark

Free cancellation up to four weeks before the start, so feel free to book now.

For a team or department? Arrange your own group, at your premises or ours. In-company for your team

In brief. Negotiation is a 2-day classroom course. You can attend it in Amsterdam, Utrecht, Groningen and Zwolle or online, in a group of no more than 8 participants. The price is € 1250,- excl. VAT per participant, including course materials, lunch on location and a certificate of attendance. For a team or department we also deliver this course in-company.

  • Stronger at the negotiating table
  • Achieving win-win situations through persuasiveness
  • Dealing smartly with dirty tricks
  • Discovering your personal negotiating style
  • Active listening and asking targeted questions
MiekeRobElzoGarbrand

Your trainer: Mieke, Rob, Elzo or Garbrand 921 evaluations in total, averaging 8,6. View the trainers

At the negotiating table it is all about interests, timing and persuasiveness. In this course you work on your own style, sharpen your questioning techniques and get more out of every conversation. With a win-win result as the goal.

Description

In this Negotiation course you learn how to conduct a conversation with the other party in such a way that both sides can accept the outcome. You gain insight into the phases of a negotiation, learn how to prepare properly and practise questioning techniques, active listening and putting your arguments across convincingly.

You work on your own negotiating style and discover which approach suits you. Topics covered include strategic negotiating, the balance of power, recognising the other party's motives and needs, and dealing with dirty tricks. Using practical examples, you practise with situations you encounter in your own work, so that afterwards you sit at the table more confidently and more consciously.

Topics

  • The phases of a negotiation
  • Preparing your negotiation
  • Looking for win-win situations
  • Dilemmas and pitfalls at the negotiating table
  • Strategic negotiating
  • Different negotiating styles
  • Balance of power and negotiating climate
  • Active listening, asking questions and summarising
  • Assessing the motives and needs of the person you are speaking to
  • Dealing with dirty tricks
  • Practising with negotiating situations from your own working practice

Result

After this course you will approach the negotiating table with more self-confidence. You will recognise the phases of a negotiation and prepare purposefully with clear goals and a clear bottom line. You will know which negotiating style suits you and be able to switch when the situation calls for it.

You use questioning techniques, active listening and summarising to get a clear picture of the other party's interests and motives. You put your arguments across convincingly, recognise dirty tricks and you know how to deal with it calmly and assertively. This way you work purposefully towards win-win situations in which your interests, or those of your organisation, are firmly represented.

Target audience

This course is a good fit for you if you negotiate regularly and feel there is more to be gained. It is also the right place for you if you want to take a more assertive stance at the negotiating table. Think of buyers, sellers, account managers, project leaders, consultants, entrepreneurs and anyone who makes agreements with clients, suppliers or partners on their own behalf or on behalf of an organisation.

Teaching method

The description above gives a good indication of what the course will look like. Even so, the content may differ slightly from course to course. At Learnit we think in terms of tailored solutions: your own working situation is always the starting point and the end point. In an individual intake prior to the course we identify the participants' learning objectives. On that basis we determine the final programme.

Learning by doing comes first, because nothing is as demotivating as a trainer who talks for the entire lesson. The course asks you to be actively involved and to take ownership. The result: you discover and develop new skills that you can apply straight away at the negotiating table.

Prior knowledge

No specific prior knowledge is required for this course. It is useful, however, if you occasionally find yourself in situations involving negotiation, so that you can apply what you have learned directly to recognisable examples from your own practice.

Practical information

Number of days
2 days
Course times
from 10 am to 5 pm
Teaching hours
12 hours
Education level
Suitable for all levels
Preparation time
None
Included
Course materials and lunch on site
Certificate
At the end of the course you will receive a certificate of attendance
Cancel
Free up to four weeks before the start (cancellation terms)

Language

The course is given in Dutch as standard. The trainer speaks English. English-language course materials can be used. If at least 3 participants register, the course can also be given entirely in English.

In-company

Would you like to organise this training for a whole group or several groups? This can be cost-effective. For example, we can tailor the content entirely to your organisation, and training a whole group is also cheaper.

Are you looking at large numbers of participants or a complete academy? That involves a great deal. Consider planning and communication, for example, or identifying and agreeing the objectives and content of the training. Or differences in level, feedback mechanisms and safeguarding. Fortunately, Learnit has extensive experience in this field (more than 25 years) and we are happy to help you through this process.

Request a quote More about Negotiating in-company

All start dates

2 training days. Confirmed dates first, then in order of date.

  • Mon 19 Oct & Mon 2 Nov 2026Certain to go ahead Utrecht · 10:00–17:00 Enrol
  • Mon 19 Oct & Mon 2 Nov 2026 Online · 10:00–17:00 Enrol
  • Wed 25 Nov & Wed 9 Dec 2026 Utrecht · 10:00–17:00Free cancellation until 28 October Enrol
  • Wed 23 Dec 2026 & Wed 6 Jan 2027 Utrecht · 10:00–17:00Free cancellation until 25 November Enrol
  • Tue 9 & Tue 23 February 2027 Amsterdam · 10:00–17:00Free cancellation until 12 January Enrol
  • Tue 30 Mar & Tue 13 Apr 2027 Groningen · 10:00–17:00Free cancellation until 2 March Enrol
  • Tue 30 Mar & Tue 13 Apr 2027 Zwolle · 10:00–17:00Free cancellation until 2 March Enrol

No suitable start date? Send us a date request, and we'll look at the options together.

This course by city

This course for your team?

Plan your own group on a date that suits you, at your office, at our premises or online. We tailor the content to your day-to-day work, and training a whole group is cheaper than individual bookings.

  • Your date and location
  • Tailored content
  • Multiple groups or an academy are also possible
  • More than 25 years' experience
Request a quote No obligation, an adviser will be in touch shortly How in-company works

What others say about this course

8.3
Negotiation course: average 8.3 from 29 reviews

“The course is worthwhile; you get plenty of opportunity to discuss matters from your day-to-day practice.”

R. Wennekes
Cofely
8.6

“Practically oriented, making use of theories. You train skills based on these. The course gives you "baggage" for negotiations.”

W.S.J.H. Defauwes
Stratt+
8.3

“With Learnit you can put together an excellent tailor-made training programme through good consultation.”

J. Everaert
Gemeente Terneuzen
8.0

“A good course tailored to your situation, needs, questions and so on. The trainer thinks along with you and after the course you walk out with a great deal of energy, tips and tricks, and you want to put everything into practice straight away.”

K. Bokhorst
Witter B.V.
10.0

"The content of the course was 'tailor-made', so very useful and practical. The trainer had a good approach and the quality of the course material was very good. The exercises were very practically oriented and personalised for each participant. In short: EXCELLENT TRAINING."

K. Stancova
Alpha Trains Belgium N.V.
9.7

“An accessible course that everyone can easily apply in their day-to-day work, strengthening your own position without losing sight of the social side of negotiating.”

J. van Dalen
Gemeente Amsterdam Stadsdeel Oost
7.2

Training formats

Classroom

2 days€ 1250,-
  • Pleasant venue with a good trainer
  • Small groups
  • Inspiring and motivating
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Online

2 days€ 1080,-
  • Online with a trainer
  • Personal
  • Practical and interactive
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In-company

Bespoke trainingOn request
  • 100% for your group
  • Bespoke training
  • At your place or ours
View in-company

Workshop

Up to 4 hours for groupsOn request
  • Suitable for events
  • Interactive and inspiring
  • Large groups too
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Private training

At our place or yoursOn request
  • 100% just for you
  • Achieve a lot in little time
  • Whenever you want
Request a quote

Frequently asked questions

Can I cancel free of charge?

Yes. Up to four weeks before the first day of the course you can cancel free of charge, without giving a reason. You then receive a credit note or, if you have already paid, a refund. If you cancel later, you pay part of the course fee: 25% between four and two weeks before the start, 75% in the two weeks before it and 100% in the final week. Moving to another start date is free of charge up to two weeks before the start, after that 50%. Sending a colleague in your place is always possible. Read the cancellation terms.

Who is the Negotiation course suitable for and is prior knowledge required?
The Negotiation course is suitable for anyone who regularly finds themselves in negotiating situations and wants to get more out of them, and for participants who want to be more assertive at the negotiating table. No prior knowledge is required. In the classroom course, participants' own practical situations form the starting point, so you work directly on your own cases.
Which topics and negotiation techniques are covered during the Negotiating course?
During the classroom Negotiating course you learn the phases of the negotiation, how to prepare, strategic negotiating and how to look for win-win situations. You practise questioning techniques, active listening, summarising and persuasive argumentation. You also discover different negotiating styles, learn to assess the balance of power and deal with dirty tricks. All practised using real-world examples.
What is the delivery format of the Negotiating course and do you receive a certificate?
The Negotiation course is taught in a classroom setting in, with an experienced trainer and a small group of participants. You work extensively with practical exercises, role plays and situations from your own job. An intake takes place beforehand to clarify your learning objectives. Afterwards you receive a certificate of participation and the accompanying course material.
Can the Negotiating course also be taken in-company or used as a tailor-made course within your organisation?
Yes, the Negotiation course can also be taken in-company and is set up as a tailored course by default. Before the course an intake interview takes place in which your learning objectives and concrete working situations are mapped out. On that basis the trainer puts together the final programme, so that negotiation cases from your own work take centre stage. If you opt for classroom participation, you follow the regular programme.
What is the difference between negotiating and debating or persuading?
Negotiating is about jointly seeking an agreement in which both parties see their interests reflected, whereas discussing or persuading is mainly aimed at being proved right. In negotiating you exchange interests, conditions and arguments in order to reach a win-win situation. In the Negotiating course (classroom-based) you learn to apply this approach using questioning techniques, active listening and strategic preparation.
How do I know which negotiating style suits me, and can I discover this during the course?
During the Negotiation course at Learnit you gain insight into different negotiating styles and discover through exercises which techniques best suit your personal approach. You work on self-awareness: how do you behave at the negotiating table, when are you too accommodating and when too hard? By practising with realistic situations from everyday work you notice what does and does not work with your style. Prior to the course there is an individual intake, in which your learning objectives are mapped out. That is a difference with general books on negotiation or e-learning: you receive direct feedback on your actual behaviour from an experienced trainer and fellow participants. The course is taught in a classroom setting.
Does what I learn in the Negotiation course also work in a hybrid or online negotiation, or is it mainly aimed at conversations around the table?
The techniques from the Negotiating course work in both settings, but the emphasis in the exercises is on face-to-face situations. Skills such as active listening, asking follow-up questions, summarising and assessing the motives of the person you are talking to are universal and also apply in a video call or an email exchange. There are differences in emphasis, though: in an online negotiation non-verbal signals are partly lost, silences feel more uncomfortable and thorough preparation is even more important. During the course you practise in a classroom setting with real-life situations that you bring in yourself. These may also be hybrid or digital negotiations. The course For those who mainly negotiate digitally, an additional tailor-made in-company variant can be arranged.
What do I get in this Negotiation course that I can't get from a book or a YouTube video?
A book or video explains theory, but you don't practise against real resistance. In this classroom course you negotiate live with other participants and an experienced trainer who gives feedback on the spot about your behaviour, your tone and your questioning techniques. Three things self-study does not offer: you discover your own negotiating style through exercises, you get immediate reflection on your pitfalls (for example giving in too quickly or, conversely, getting stuck on your position), and you practise with dirty tricks that you can only read about in a book. Beforehand there is an intake in which your learning objectives are mapped out, so that the practical situations you practise match your own work. You go home with behaviour you have tried out, not just with knowledge you have read.
How long does it take before I can actually apply what I have learned in the Negotiating course in my work?
You can apply what you have learned straight after the course. The course is practice-oriented: you practise with negotiation situations from your own work, so the transfer to practice is immediate. In concrete terms this means that after day 1 you can already prepare a negotiation better (setting objectives, determining your BATNA, recognising the phases), and after day 2 you steer more consciously towards win-win situations, questioning techniques and countering dirty tricks. For lasting behavioural change you should generally allow for a few weeks of conscious practice in real conversations. Compared with self-study from a book you save time: during the course you receive structured feedback on your own style, something you would otherwise only discover after months of trial and error in practice.
How does this Negotiating course relate to well-known methods such as Harvard negotiation or the book 'Getting to Yes'?
Learnit's Negotiating course is not a pure Harvard method, but it does work with the same core principles: looking for win-win situations, distinguishing between positions and interests, and assessing the motives of the person you are negotiating with. The difference lies in the approach. Where 'Getting to Yes' offers a way of thinking, this course (in a classroom setting) gives you active practice with your own real-life cases. You experiment with negotiating styles, questioning techniques and dealing with dirty tricks. Topics are also covered that are less developed in the classic literature, such as the balance of power, the negotiating climate and the phases of the conversation. If you opt for self-study, you get theory. If you opt for this course, you get feedback on your actual behaviour at the negotiating table.
Can I practise a specific situation from my own work during the Negotiating course, for example an upcoming salary discussion or contract negotiation?
Yes. The Negotiation course uses participants' own working situations as its starting and finishing point. Beforehand there is an individual intake interview in which you set out your learning objectives and the situations you want to practise. On that basis the trainer puts together the final programme. So you can bring in an upcoming salary negotiation, contract discussion or supplier deal and practise with it in a safe setting. During the course you receive feedback on your style, questioning techniques and argumentation. That is what sets it apart from a general course or self-study: you go home with insight into your own concrete case, and therefore with more than just theory. The delivery format is classroom-based, in small groups, so that there is room for individual input.
How much does the Negotiating course cost and how long does it take?

You can find the current price at the top right of this course page, along with the schedule, location and delivery format. For in-company or bespoke courses we are happy to provide a quotation on request.

Guaranteed to run: Mon 19 Oct & Mon 2 Nov 2026 in Utrecht, can also be attended online

This date already has enough participants. Free cancellation up to four weeks before the start, so you can secure a place now.

€ 1250,-excl. VAT · confirmed on Mon 19 Oct
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