This is the week most holiday plans are built around. And for good reason: last year, Black Friday drew 80.3 million in-store shoppers and 85.7 million online, according to the National Retail Federation. Cyber Monday added another 75.9 million online shoppers.

But here's the number that often gets overlooked. As of early December last year, shoppers had completed only about half, 51%, of their holiday shopping.

The biggest weekend of the season still leaves half the list open.

01 | The Season Has a Second Half

Many holiday budgets are front-loaded around Thanksgiving weekend, then taper off. That leaves December, and the shoppers still deciding, with less support than they deserve.

The second half of the season includes the last-minute buyers, the people shopping for one more person and the shoppers who waited for the right moment. They're all still in play.

02 | December Shoppers Want Different Things

By mid-December, the conversation shifts. Shoppers care less about doorbusters and more about:

•         What's in stock right now

•         What can be picked up locally or delivered in time

•         Easy gifts like experiences and gift cards

•         Someone they trust to help them decide quickly

Local businesses are built for that moment. Proximity and service become the offer.

03 | Keep the Story Going

A campaign that goes quiet after Cyber Monday loses the familiarity it spent weeks building. Shoppers who saw you in November should still see you in December.

That doesn't mean running the same spot. Refresh the message for the moment: "still time," "in stock now," "open late," "gift cards available."

04 | Plan the Finish Before the Start

The best time to reserve December weight is before Thanksgiving, not after. Once the holiday rush is underway, the smartest adjustments are the ones already built into the plan.

Finish as Strong as You Started

Thanksgiving weekend is a peak, not a finish line. The brands that stay visible through December catch the shoppers everyone else stopped talking to.

Connect with Hearst Pittsburgh to extend your holiday campaign through the final weeks of the season.

Sources: NRF: Winter holiday data and trends