diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 2a34927..33ae523 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,19 +1,68 @@
 GO := go
+
 DOCKER_IMAGE_NAME ?= prometheus-bigquery-exporter
 DOCKER_IMAGE_TAG ?= $(subst /,-,$(shell git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD))
 
+COLOR_BLUE := \033[0;34m
+COLOR_RED := \033[0;31m
+COLOR_GREEN := \033[0;32m
+COLOR_YELLOW := \033[0;33m
+COLOR_RESET := \033[0m
+
 
 all: vet build
+.PHONY: all build docker needs-query needs-project needs-gcloud-config needs-gcloud-sa-key run-query
 
 vet:
-	@echo ">> vetting code"
+	@echo "$(COLOR_BLUE)>> Vetting code$(COLOR_RESET)"
 	@$(GO) vet $(pkgs)
 
 build:
 	@$(GO) get -t .
 
 docker:
-	@echo ">> building docker image"
-	@docker build -t "$(DOCKER_IMAGE_NAME):$(DOCKER_IMAGE_TAG)" .
+	@echo "$(COLOR_BLUE)>> Building docker image$(COLOR_RESET)"
+	@docker build -t "$(DOCKER_IMAGE_NAME) -t "$(DOCKER_IMAGE_NAME):$(DOCKER_IMAGE_TAG)" .
+
+needs-query:
+	@echo "$(COLOR_BLUE)>> Checking query file$(COLOR_RESET)"
+	@if [ -z "$(query)" ]; then \
+		echo "$(COLOR_RED)ERROR: Please provide a query file with query=<file>.sql$(COLOR_RESET)"; \
+		exit 1; \
+	fi
+	@if [ ! -f "$(PWD)/ahoy/prometheus-bigquery-exporter/queries/$(query)" ]; then \
+		echo "$(COLOR_RED)ERROR: Query file $(PWD)/ahoy/prometheus-bigquery-exporter/queries/$(query) does not exist$(COLOR_RESET)"; \
+		exit 1; \
+	fi
+
+needs-project:
+	@echo "$(COLOR_BLUE)>> Checking project ID$(COLOR_RESET)"
+	@if [ -z "$(project)" ]; then \
+		echo "$(COLOR_RED)ERROR: Please provide the Google project ID (numeric) with project=XXXXX$(COLOR_RESET)"; \
+		exit 1; \
+	fi
+
+needs-gcloud-config:
+	@echo "$(COLOR_BLUE)>> Checking gcloud config directory exists$(COLOR_RESET)"
+	@if [ ! -d "$(HOME)/.config/gcloud" ]; then \
+		echo "$(COLOR_RED)ERROR: Please run gcloud auth login and gcloud config set project PROJECT_ID$(COLOR_RESET)"; \
+		exit 1; \
+	fi
+
+needs-gcloud-sa-key:
+	@echo "$(COLOR_BLUE)>> Checking service account key file exists$(COLOR_RESET)"
+	@if [ ! -f "$(PWD)/key.json" ]; then \
+		echo "$(COLOR_RED)ERROR: Please ensure service account key exists at $(PWD)/key.json$(COLOR_RESET)"; \
+		exit 1; \
+	fi
 
-.PHONY: all build docker
+run-query: needs-gcloud-config needs-gcloud-sa-key needs-project needs-query 
+	@echo "$(COLOR_BLUE)>> Running query from $(COLOR_YELLOW)$(query)$(COLOR_RESET)"
+	@echo "$(COLOR_BLUE)>> Using project ID $(COLOR_YELLOW)$(project)$(COLOR_RESET)"
+	@echo "$(COLOR_BLUE)>> Review generated metrics at: $(COLOR_YELLOW)http://localhost:9348/metrics$(COLOR_RESET)"
+	docker run -p 9348:9348 --rm \
+		-v $(HOME)/.config/gcloud:/root/.config/gcloud \
+		-v $(PWD)/key.json:/key.json \
+		-v $(PWD)/ahoy/prometheus-bigquery-exporter/queries:/queries -it "$(DOCKER_IMAGE_NAME)" \
+		-project=$(project) \
+		-gauge-query=/queries/$(query)
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index bc764ed..9017606 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -118,7 +118,13 @@ Use the following steps:
 1. Build the docker image.
 
   ```sh
-  docker build -t bqx-local -f Dockerfile .
+  docker build -t prometheus-bigquery-exporter -f Dockerfile .
+  ```
+
+  or use the make target:
+ 
+  ```sh
+  make docker
   ```
 
 2. Authenticate using your Google account. Both steps are necessary, the
@@ -135,7 +141,17 @@ Use the following steps:
   ```sh
   docker run -p 9348:9348 --rm \
     -v $HOME/.config/gcloud:/root/.config/gcloud \
-    -v $PWD:/queries -it bqx-local \
+    -v $PWD:/queries -it prometheus-bigquery-exporter \
       -project=$GCLOUD_PROJECT \
       -gauge-query=/queries/example/config/bq_example.sql
   ```
+
+  or use the make target:
+
+  ```sh
+  make run-query query=<file>.sql project=<google project id>
+  ```
+
+4. Access the metrics
+
+  Review the generated metrics at [http://localhost:9348/metrics](http://localhost:9348/metrics).