Call Prep
Mike × Jon — Additive Price & Proof Call
Two issues to resolve before any PO is signed.
Participants
Mike David · Jon Wierda
Issue 1
Price Increase Timing
Mike committed to and paid for the Amspec shipment under Jan 16 pricing (~$14,370 USD/tote). The 27% increase to $18,250 USD arrived the same day as the provisional PO — a cost Mike never agreed to. The ratio also dropped 1280:1 → 1180:1, compounding the hit.
Issue 2
No Written Proof for Gasoline
Every certified result Jon has is diesel-only (26.72% MPG, 17 trucks). For gasoline, Mike has only Jon's personal Subaru anecdote ("just under 20% on a hilly drive") and a verbal "15% is conservative." Nothing Mike can put in writing to 30+ station owners.
How to Open the Call
"Jon, I want to have a real conversation today — not just about price, but about what needs to be true for me to commit at the scale we've been talking about. I believe in what you've built. I just have two things I need your help resolving before I can move forward."
Don't list grievances. Don't explain at length. Name the two issues and ask him to solve them with you.
Agenda
Item 1 — The Price
Address the Timing Issue Directly
"I authorized the Amspec shipment based on January pricing. The new rate came in the same day as the PO — that's a conversation I didn't get to have before committing those costs."
Ask for: Wowza covers Amspec unconditionally, OR price concession that acknowledges good-faith timing.
Item 2 — The Proof
Get the 15% in Writing
"I have 30+ station owners who will ask me for proof. Your Subaru test is not something I can close a deal on. I need a number I can stand behind."
Ask for: A signed letter or email confirming minimum 15% fuel economy improvement on the gasoline blend.
Item 3 — The Pipeline
Make the Future Picture Real
Before any ask, paint the scale: 41 stations in pipeline, 30+ closings targeted this summer.
"Help me get what I need to sell this, and Wowza is the supplier for the whole network."
Item 4 — Ratio Clarification
Confirm Final Treatment Ratio
Jan pricing had 1280:1. New pricing shows 1180:1 — same tote, ~24,000 fewer gallons of coverage.
Ask for: Confirmation of final ratio before any PO is signed. Both changes together make the real cost increase higher than 27%.
Leave the Call With
1
Written gasoline performance letter — minimum 15% fuel economy, signed by Jon
2
Wowza covers Amspec cost — unconditional, not tied to PO acceptance
3
Final confirmed treatment ratio in writing before PO is activated
4
A specific date for Jon's response — not "I'll get back to you"
Mindset Going In
You don't have to walk away. You just have to be genuinely willing to. That's the only leverage that works.
What Would Jay Do?
Mike's Call with Jon — Negotiation Strategy Through Jay Abraham's Lens
"You are not a buyer complaining about price. You are a strategic partner who needs Jon to help you justify moving forward at scale. Make him your ally in solving the problem — not your opponent across a table."
The Real Situation on the Table
Two things happened that Mike must address, and neither one alone is the whole problem. Together they represent a serious trust issue that, if left unaddressed, will poison the partnership before it starts.
Issue 1 — The Timing of the Price Increase. Mike authorized and paid for the Amspec fuel sample shipment based on January pricing of ~$14,370 USD/tote. Jon sent revised "War Pricing" at $18,250 USD/tote on the same day as the provisional PO — a 27% increase Mike never saw coming and couldn't factor into his decision.
Issue 2 — There Is No Written Proof for Gasoline. Every documented result in Jon's possession — the 26.72% MPG diesel study, the 17-truck fleet data — is diesel only. For gasoline, all Mike has is Jon's personal anecdote ("just under 20% on my Subaru on a hilly drive") and a verbal assurance that 15% is "a very conservative number." That is not a number Mike can stake a marketing campaign, a sales pitch to 30+ stations, or a customer promise on.
Three Jay Abraham Principles That Apply Here
01 — Preeminence
Come as the Advisor, Not the Buyer
Don't open with complaints. Open as someone who genuinely wants this to work and needs Jon's help making the numbers defensible. That posture instantly makes Jon your ally.
02 — Risk Reversal
Make Jon Carry the Proof
If the product genuinely delivers 15%+ on gasoline, Jon should have no problem putting it in writing. Jay would say: if you believe in your product, guarantee it. The reluctance to commit is the data point.
03 — The Pipeline Principle
One Tote Is Not the Deal
41 stations. 30+ closings targeted for this summer. If this works, Jon is looking at a recurring annual contract worth hundreds of thousands. That future needs to be front and center in every sentence.
How to Open the Call
Do not open with the price. Open with the relationship and the vision — then introduce the problem as something you need his help to solve.
Say something like:
"Jon, I want to have a real conversation today — not just about price, but about what we need to be true for me to commit to this at the scale we've been talking about. I believe in what you've built. I just have two things I need your help resolving before I can move forward."
That's it. Don't over-explain. Don't list grievances. Just name the two issues and ask him to solve them with you.
Issue 1 — The Price Increase: How to Address It
State the facts plainly and without anger. The power is in the sequence of events, not in the emotion.
Frame it like this:
"Jon, when I authorized the Amspec shipment and the fuel testing, I was working off the January 16 pricing. That was the basis for my decision. The revised pricing came in the same day as the provisional PO — that's a conversation I didn't get to have before committing those costs. I'm not saying it's wrong. I'm saying the timing put me in a position I didn't choose."
Then let him respond. Don't fill the silence. His answer will tell you everything about how he views the partnership.
What you're asking for: Either a price concession that recognizes the good-faith timing issue — OR Wowza absorbs the full Amspec testing cost regardless of PO status, since that cost was incurred under the old pricing assumptions.
Issue 2 — The Proof Gap: How to Address It
This is the bigger strategic issue. Jon has outstanding results for diesel. He has zero certified results for the gasoline + ethanol + Dynamo blend Mike is actually buying. The "15% conservative" number is verbal. Jon's own personal test was informal, on one vehicle, on a hilly drive.
Frame it like this:
"Jon, I need to be straight with you. I have 30+ gas station owners who are going to ask me: what's the proof? Right now, the best answer I have is your personal Subaru test. I can't close a single station on that. I'm not doubting you — I'm just telling you what my sales process looks like. To move this forward at scale, I need something I can stand behind."
What you're asking for: A written letter — even a signed email — confirming that the gasoline-ethanol-Dynamo blend delivers a minimum 15% fuel economy improvement. That single document unlocks Mike's ability to sell. Without it, the product is asking Mike to be the proof.
Always Paint the Future First
Jay Abraham never lets a negotiation stay small. Before Mike makes any ask, he should make Jon feel the full size of what's possible.
"Jon, I want you to understand what's actually at stake here. We have 41 stations in our pipeline right now. We're targeting 30+ closings this summer. If the Amspec results come back clean and the pricing works, I'm not talking about one tote — I'm talking about a recurring contract across an Indigenous fuel network that nobody else has ever built. Help me get the proof I need to go sell this, and I'll make Wowza the supplier for all of it."
Leave the Call With These Four Things
Jay would say a call without specific commitments is just a conversation. End this call with written next steps.
Commitment 1
Written Gasoline Performance Letter
A signed statement confirming minimum 15% fuel economy improvement on the gasoline-ethanol-Dynamo blend. Jon must send this before Mike proceeds.
Commitment 2
Wowza Covers Amspec Cost Unconditionally
Mike incurred the Amspec testing cost under old pricing. Wowza's commitment to cover testing should not be conditional on accepting a price Mike never agreed to.
Commitment 3
Pricing Clarity on the Ratio Change
The treatment ratio dropped from 1280:1 to 1180:1 alongside the 27% price increase — a double hit. Jon must explain and confirm the final ratio before any PO is signed.
Commitment 4
A Concrete Next Step With a Date
Don't end without a specific date for Jon's written response. "I'll get back to you" is not a commitment. "I'll send the letter by Friday" is.
Jay's Question Mike Should Ask Himself Before Dialing
"Am I willing to walk away from this deal if Jon won't put the 15% in writing?"
Why it matters: If the answer is yes, you negotiate from strength and Jon will feel it. If the answer is no, Jon will feel that too — and the price will never come down. You don't have to walk away. You just have to be genuinely willing to. That's the only leverage that works.