Successful negotiation occurs from strategic planning, unwavering confidence, and the power of persuasion. Negotiation takes effort, skill, and even wits to leverage the advantages both parties can gain upon reaching an agreement.
Negotiations are a compromise, but most of all, they are open dialogues between two parties coming together to achieve a common goal. It becomes crucial then for businesses to learn how to negotiate properly. A poor display of negotiation skills can lose a potential client or target revenue.
Fortunately, skilled practitioners exist and can provide the negotiation training one needs to improve and excel in negotiations. Below are the top 5 best negotiation training providers in 2023:
1 Shapiro Negotiations Institute
Since 1995, Shapiro Negotiations Institute (SNI) has been providing its clients with a competitive advantage with its specialized training in sales, influence, and negotiations. They implement a systematic, customized approach to reach their objective, utilizing client-specific tools and techniques to create negotiations that satisfy and benefit everyone's needs.
Ron Shapiro, the company's founder, has made SNI a premier global provider through the negotiation training his company has offered, especially among multinational corporations like Johnsons & Johnsons and Sony Pictures. They expressed satisfaction with the skills and knowledge they gained from their negotiation training which has led to favorable outcomes.
As a negotiation training provider, SNI promises its clients these takeaways: instant impact, sustainable skills, and measurable results. As a company, it recognizes that negotiation is a critical business skill. Not only does it impact the interactions and dynamics businesses have with clients, partners, or employees, but it also directly affects formal transactions like budget discussions or concessions among distributors.
Systematic Approach of SNI's Negotiation Training Program
SNI's Negotiation Training Program contains a systematic approach that allows businesses to maximize both internal and external deals and maintain long-lasting relationships with clients or partners-in-business. SNI's systematic approach simplifies the negotiation training in three steps:
Prepare
To succeed in negotiations, one must prepare thoroughly to obtain the desired results. SNI's negotiation training program teaches businesses the importance of preparation and strategic planning before entering into negotiations. Participating in the program lets one gain insight into conducting research, setting objectives, analyzing alternatives, and developing strategies. SNI believes in having a Preparation Checklist to ensure one's terms are met while negotiating.
Probe and Listen
SNI encourages the participants of its negotiation training program to probe and listen. Research suggests that those who listen more outperform those who speak more when negotiating. The company has developed a model that assists in phrasing questions that validate the other party's position and interests, ending in better deals and deeper relationships.
The negotiation training offered by SNI improves negotiation by enhancing communication skills. By actively listening, effectively questioning, and clearly articulating ideas, one can better express interests, understand the other party's perspective, and find common ground in negotiations.
Moreover, effective communication also maintains the civility of relationships with negotiation counterparts. It shows that one prioritizes mutual understanding and collaborations built on trust, leading to a stronger relationship with the other party.
Propose
As a skilled negotiator, one must deliberate when to propose the offer and how to deliver it. SNI covers the fundamental guidelines to observe when negotiating. Keeping these in mind maximizes returns in any negotiation while leaving the other party satisfied with the deal.
Business transactions can be dealt with strong negotiation skills, leading to favorable deals, reduced costs, and increased overall value for the company. Investing in a negotiation training program like the one SNI offers is an inevitable success.
The main highlight of SNI's negotiation training program is the company's customized approach. Get personalized solutions that address unique negotiation requirements. Because of customization, one can directly apply the negotiation skills gained according to their business needs.
The Impact of SNI
In the case of WebMD, the company sought the service of SNI to create a strong foundation in negotiation skills for their sales force. This is due to their dilemma of whether to maintain their margins but lose their market share to their lower-cost competitors or maintain their market share at the expense of lowering their prices and reducing margins.
By making the sales team of WebMD undergo SNI's comprehensive negotiation skills training, backed by the provider's Power of Nice principles and the assistance of the Preparation Planner, WebMD witnessed a 242% ROI. For example, one client of WebMD stood firm on their two million dollar deal, yet thanks to the WebMD representative's SNI training, the company could negotiate the deal down to $150,000.
Another successful case study by SNI was its short training program for the Cleveland Guardians. The basketball team was in the middle of negotiating a multi-million dollar deal for the renewal of a sponsorship agreement with a certain client who was not eager to spend more than expected.
To strengthen the case of the Guardians team, SNI introduced its sponsorship staff to a systemic approach and tool to utilize in their negotiation with the client. SNI also provided Deal Coaching to the team. It was conducted through phone conferencing and email, enabling them to reach a deal that was considerably above its highest goal and even strengthened Guardian's relationship with the client in the process.
By employing SNI's services, the Guardians secured a 26% increase in revenue and decreased inventory and exclusivity in the sponsorship agreement. Moreover, the Guardians was able to grow its category by adding new partners with the inventory they were able to retain from its negotiation. This generated an ROI of over 300%, all thanks to SNI.
Clients are guaranteed to witness a foreseeable development, whether in their growth or overall performance in negotiations with the help of the training programs of SNI, empowering them to approach negotiations with the assurance that they would eventually result in improved outcomes.
SNI also employs interactive learning methodologies. As a participant in its negotiation training program, one would be actively involved in the learning process through hands-on exercises, simulations, and role plays. Through this involvement, one can practice negotiation skills in a realistic setting. The experienced facilitators will guide the participant throughout the process, providing feedback to refine their skills.
Negotiate the best strategies with one of the best negotiation training providers. Train with SNI for a guaranteed development of the skills necessary for effective negotiation.
2 The Gap Partnership
(Photo : Screenshot from The Gap Partnership website)
Based in the UK, The Gap Partnership harnesses the power of technology to deliver its negotiation training programs. Established in 1997, the company has become the world's leading management consultancy specializing in negotiation, making it qualified as one of the best negotiation training providers. The company currently offers digital programs for negotiation training:
Foundation Negotiator
The Foundation Negotiator offers critical competencies of negotiation. One will learn to plan, explore, propose, counter, and agree to deal. This negotiation training program provides the foundation to become an effective negotiator. It has films, simulated negotiations, interactive graphics, and regular online quizzes to test one's negotiation skills.
If overwhelmed, there's no pressure to complete the program immediately. One can access the Foundation Negotiator from any device and learn at their own pace.
The Virtual Negotiator
The Virtual Negotiator is a negotiation training program delivered online in real time. This caters to experienced commercial negotiators who want to apply their skills in virtual spaces. It has an eight-step process and a suite of online planning tools to improve one's negotiation skills digitally.
TCSN6
The TCSN6 is considered the world's most advanced virtual negotiation program. Upon completion, one would be able to plan, strategize, and execute value-enhanced commercial negotiations and have a comprehensive understanding of the key principles of complex negotiations.
Negotiation 365
Negotiation 365 is a 12-month program that offers weekly bite-sized tutorials to improve one's negotiation skills. The materials included enhance the understanding of what it takes to be an expert negotiator. This negotiation training program caters to everyone, new or seasoned, in the practice of negotiation.
The Gap Partnership also offers negotiation consulting and solutions to companies worldwide. From its offices across the globe, The Gap Partnership has made a name for itself as a management consultancy specializing in the field of negotiation.
3 KARASS
Created by Dr. Chester Karass, KARASS has been offering negotiation training for different types of people for over 50 years. Dr. Karass has designed a seminar called Effective Negotiating for business-minded people to master the tactics, strategies, and psychological insights of negotiating.
Even if it's a seminar, KARASS refuses to observe the traditional methods of training its participants, where one is sitting in a room listening to lectures and taking standardized tests. KARASS keeps its negotiation training engaging by allowing participants to interact and negotiate with a skilled facilitator and a group of negotiators eager to learn.
The Effective Negotiating seminar emphasizes the "Both-Win" strategy. KRASSES wants negotiations to have both parties satisfied when striking the deal. This paves the way for long-lasting relationships where both sides benefit from having a greater value when the negation has been completed.
Facilitated by a negotiations expert, KARASS makes attending the Effective Negotiating seminar a dynamic classroom experience. The facilitator explains the technicalities in layman's terms, making it easier for participants to engage in the negotiation training and develop the skills while participating in negotiation dialogues, role-plays, or practice negotiating sessions.
KARASS makes the experience immersive and engaging, as evidenced by the pleasant feedback they have received. Participants stated that the negotiation training was fun and stimulating and that the techniques they learned are applicable not only in business but also in life.
Given its long existence and the over one million people it has helped worldwide, it is no surprise that KARASS became one of the best negotiation training providers this year and in history.
4 The Edge Negotiation Group
The Edge Negotiation Group brands itself as the only company in the world that combines cutting-edge behavioral psychology and contemporary negotiation strategy.
Founded and owned by Andrew Boughton, he was the youngest executive at Capital Records. In 2006, he transitioned from the entertainment world to the field of negotiating. Six years later, he started The Edge Negotiation Group as a solo project but is now one of the best negotiation training providers in the industry.
The Edge Negotiation Group has services that help improve negotiation skills, from its webinars, workshops, and training, both online and instructor-led. However, for the full experience, it is advisable to go for its Ultimate Negotiator workshop. This negotiation training program unites advanced behavioral techniques with contemporary negotiation theory.
The Ultimate Negotiator is designed for commercial negotiators. Hence, it heavily emphasizes practical application. Applying for the advanced program entails 25 hours of intense training. The workshop teaches its participants how to utilize human behavior to their advantage. By studying behavioral techniques, one can get inside the head of the other negotiator.
Participants are encouraged to explore their capabilities through the Wheel of Negotiation to identify their negotiating style. Knowing one's negotiation style lets one strategize and align their behavior to make the most out of every negotiation.
The Edge Negotiation Group offers a unique, psychological way to negotiate effectively. Unconventional as their techniques may appear, the company stands as one of the best negotiation training providers established.
5 K&R Negotiations
(Photo : Screenshot from K&R Negotiations website)
For over 30 years, K&R Negotiations has been helping companies increase deal size and build profitable relationships as a global negotiation and consultancy firm.
Standing by its credibility, the company's negotiation training courses contain the framework, tools, and skills needed to negotiate effectively instead of tactics or series on how to bargain. K&R Negotiations sticks by its negotiation principles, aiming to create win-win situations to sustain long-term client relationships.
Besides its service as a negotiation training provider, K&R Negotiations also assists client teams as a direct negotiation consultant to gain high-value engagements. Over the years, the company has closed transactions worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Since its establishment, K&R Negotiations has worked with leading brands like Xerox, Dell, and IBM.
Applying K&R's proven methodology improves business outcomes. The company's practical negotiation approach has delivered proven results and a client-documented ROI with days of attending a negotiation training session. The participants expect revenue growth of 20% and estimate their sales cycles will shorten by an average of 2.8 weeks.
K&R Negotiations teaches its clients how to implement proven mechanics of deal-making to build credibility and gain leverage. This company can produce outcomes that no average negotiation training provider can deliver. One can be assured that availing of the services of K&R only results in more opportunities, better deals, and satisfied partners and clients.
Choose to improve your negotiation skills with five of the best negotiation training providers established globally. These providers have a team of experts, positive testimonials, and a proven track record of delivering impactful negotiation training programs. Get the most value out of one's negotiations with the help of the best negotiation training programs.
