One of the differences between thriving businesses and those in a stall is self-promotion.

Self promotion can apply to a person or a business and is defined as letting others know how much you’re contributing. Opportunities for self-promotion are more abundant when you work closely with other people, but they exist and should be taken advantage of regardless of your work arrangement. When you work at a distance in a home office, you just have to try harder to get accomplishments noticed.

It’s up to you to make sure everyone you work with understands how much you do, regardless of how frequently you interact with them. Tooting your own horn may make you uncomfortable, but the reality of working alone is that there’s seldom anyone else around to do it.

It’s up to you to make clients and business partners take notice of what you achieve. If you see a need to build recognition of your hard work, here are some strategies to start acting as your own P.R. firm:

– Practice the art of nuance. Look for opportunities to send a message that you’re hard at work. This doesn’t mean calling customers to boast about your accomplishments. Instead, these efforts should be subtle.

For example, leave an early morning voice mail message for a client indicating you’re hard at work on his or her account, or produce weekly “status” reports that quietly outline the extra efforts you’ve made to get the job done.

– Distribute copies of press mentions. If the media notices you or your company, let clients know about it. If you’re quoted in a newspaper or magazine, make copies of the article and distribute them. Accompany each with a simple note saying, “I thought you’d be interested in seeing this.” If you are scheduled to participate in a radio or TV show, announce the date and time so customers can tune in.

– Share information. Taking the time to distribute industry research, event announcements, or articles that may interest clients is a great way to demonstrate that you continuously keep their needs in mind. It also underscores your enthusiasm for your work.

– Visit your customers. Some of the best opportunities for self-promotion arise during face-to-face interactions when conversations are likely to be more casual than they are on the phone. Use these opportunities to promote recent accomplishments.

– Pat yourself on the back. When you complete a project or fill an order, don’t be shy about pointing out the strength of your work. Rather than focus these accolades on yourself, stress the quality of the final product.

For example, if you’re a graphic designer, your introduction could be: “Here’s the final draft of the Acme direct mail flier I’ve produced. As you can see, it does a great job of highlighting Acme’s strength in the market.” If you sell a product, your approach might be: “Enclosed is your order for 12 dozen widgets. I’m certain your customers will appreciate our new, easy-to-use product design.”

– Ask for feedback. Create an evaluation form for clients to complete at the end of each project. Asking for feedback on paper will force them to acknowledge strengths they may not have considered thoroughly. This, in turn, will increase the likelihood a client will call on you again. You can also show such evaluations to other potential clients.

– Recognize your clients. No business exists in a vacuum. Your ability to produce good work is tied to the support your customers give you. Show appreciation for their help by sending thank you notes at the end of projects and calling key players to express your gratitude personally.

Alice Bredin is author of the “Virtual Office Survival Handbook” (John Wiley & Sons) and a nationally syndicated columnist.