Alanna - nice to see you posting on here. Glad you're enjoying the site! :-) We hope to see you again in the shop real soon!
I think that as a VERY general, overall suggestion for how to behave when you go in a shop is to observe and react. And by that, I mean, feel out how the shop runs and simply roll with their protocol. Don't take the leads and try to steer the experience because it's likely you'll throw a wrench in the tattooers regular game and often, that kind of treatment makes me feel insulted, like the client is the boss. I'm always trying to do the best tattoo I can for people and I do it my way so just sit back and relax and everything will be fine.
Also, I love clients who are CLEAR. They know what they want, and they don't make you draw something and make needless changes. The WORST is when you have a customer who says, "I'd love a lady head! ANY kind of lady head at all, your choice Liz!" And then I draw it up and they're like "Ohhhhhhh, wait! I don't want that at all. I want a train conductor lady." It's wildly frustrating. How was I supposed to guess out of the infinite ways to do a lady head that's what you were hoping I'd draw?! Being clear about your exepctations is crucial. If your expectations are to let the artist do what they want, then that's fine, as long as it is CLEARLY your hope for the final product.
Be nice, smile, consider suggestions carefully (because they ARAE coming from the professional that YOu chose) and don't be intense.
Oh also, bring cookies. but Alanna, you've got that covered already