diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 48e8b80311..0bd86fb573 100755
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -51,10 +51,14 @@ Steps:
  	* `shadow_sample_console_echo` - a sample to work with the AWS IoT Console interactive guide
  * For each sample:
  	* Explore the example.  It connects to AWS IoT platform using MQTT and demonstrates few actions that can be performed by the SDK
- 	* Build the example using make.  (''make'')
+ 	* Ensure you have [created a thing](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/iot/latest/developerguide/create-thing.html) through your AWS IoT console with name matching the definition AWS_IOT_MY_THING_NAME in the `aws_iot_config.h` file (currently AWS-IoT-C-SDK).
+ 	* Build the example using make.  (''make -f Makefile_name.mk'')
+ 	  * Use the appropriate makefile in the -f argument based on the configuration of your TLS library.
  	* Place device identity cert and private key in locations referenced in the example (certs/).  Alternatively, you can run the sample application with the ''-c'' flag to point to a specific certificate directory.
+ 	  * You can use the aws iot command line and create-keys-and-certificate / describe-certificate cli operations as described [here](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/iot/latest/developerguide/secure-communication.html) to create identity certs and private keys.
  	* Download certificate authority CA file from this [link](https://www.symantec.com/content/en/us/enterprise/verisign/roots/VeriSign-Class%203-Public-Primary-Certification-Authority-G5.pem) and place in location referenced in the example (certs/). Ensure the names of the cert files are the same as in the `aws_iot_config.h` file
  	* Run sample application (./subscribe_publish_sample or ./shadow_sample).  The sample will print status messages to stdout.
+ 	  * Be sure to specify argument -h to specify your specific AWS iot endpoint (see describe-endpoint instructions [here](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/iot/latest/developerguide/verify-pub-sub.html)).
  	* More information on the examples could be found in the sample source file
  	
 Also, for a guided example on getting started with the Thing Shadow, visit the AWS IoT Console's [Interactive Guide](https://console.aws.amazon.com/iot).