If you’re known (or want to be known) in the business community, you should already understand that your personal brand—or public persona—is just as important as a business brand.

Taking the time to market yourself and your career via content marketing, social media and other forms of networking platforms can help shape the impression others have of you and your career. This is especially important for entrepreneurs or business leaders who are frequently in the spotlight.

There are many different tactics you can explore to develop your brand, but Inc. lists three mistakes you should avoid. Here they are below.

Creating a brand without purpose

In order to form the right image, your personal brand must be precise and purposeful. In other words, don’t just let your brand form organically—take time to build your public persona, whether it’s through a separate Facebook page dedicated to your career, a website that showcases your expertise, or a podcast series geared toward your target audience.

Elevator pitches

You can’t just tell people in a few sentences why you’re a leader or innovator in your field (although it's nice to be able to convey your brand in a few points), you need to continuously show them. Your personal brand should be a clear explanation of what sets you apart from others, and it should be polished by a concise tone, temperament and energy. Essentially, the feel of your personal brand should be consistent no matter where it’s being marketed.

Not having a strategy

Any successful business knows marketing isn’t just an afterthought. Business-marketing campaigns are developed to bring companies greater success, and personal-branding campaigns should be no different. First, think about the reputation you want to build, who you want to convey your brand to, and what you want the end results to be. Once you’ve drafted your objectives and goals, you can create a strategy for attaining them.