Tween spirit: today's grown-up preteens have money to burn and can even get their parents to buy what they want. Here's how your facility can win over the "been there, done that" bunch.(Bottom Line)

They spend their own money and have, their own credit. They can't vote, and they can't drive. But they certainly know how to get what they want when they want it. They even have their own name: "Tweens."

Tweens are that group of children ages 8 to 12 who aren't yet teens but have teen tastes. And if you don't know what makes them tick, or more importantly, what makes them come back to your facility over and over with friends and family, your bottom line is bound to suffer.

That's because these pre-pubescent kids just happen to be one of the most powerful economic forces on the planet. Consider that in the United States alone, eight percent of children age 8 to 13 have invested in the stock market, 20 percent have their own checking account and 30 percent have their own credit card. Not only do tweens make major purchases, but they also influence the buying decisions of their parents--from automobiles to designer watches.

Big companies are already capitalizing on this phenomenon. For instance, I recently saw an ad campaign for family mini-vans. The billboard proclaimed "Celebrate. Lift your juice boxes." Then, while in line at an electronics store, I heard an 8-year-old boy advising his parents on their computer purchase. He was singing the praises of the brand in their cart and reciting the technology that the brand embraces.

Travel, vacation and leisure expenditures are no exception to this trend. But before you can target tweens, you have to understand what makes them tick. Many marketers are having trouble understanding tweens because they aren't quite kids and they aren't quite teens. So what does make them buy?

To answer that question, you have to think about how the world has changed since you were their age.

The first thing to understand is that even though they master technology much faster than adults, they have less imagination and creativity. Tweens tend to demand immediate gratification and they can be a bit insecure. In these uncertain times, especially since 9/11, this group is often motivated by fear, but won't necessarily buy because of it.