A giant copy of a Goya painting is placed on the floor to the right of the large bed, against the bare white wall.

It’s a rental service run by students from the local business school, catering to the whims of affluent tourists passing through the city. At first, the students anxiously awaited orders from new clients. Would they be able to meet their needs? Surprisingly, no one ever requested giraffe skin or exclusive cigars. In fact, most clients didn’t really know what to ask for once the service was offered.

It was usually the company representative who suggested placing the Goya painting next to the large bed in the main room.

Think about it—when you’re given the chance to request something unusual, with the assurance that it will be fulfilled, most people don’t know what to ask for. They often worry about asking for the wrong thing. “What do you recommend? What do people usually ask for?” The Goya painting would then be suggested and adopted by the client.

The lesson is valuable for future merchants: Selling isn’t so much about solving a customer’s problem as it is the art of telling them what they want.