I never thought that contributing money to a political campaign could be an exceptional experience, but I was delighted by how the Obama website made a connection with me and then facilitated a connection between me and another supporter.
During each step of the process, a video played of Barack Obama talking to me about why it was important for me to make a contribution. He told me that every dollar I gave would be matched by another grassroots donor.

When I completed the form, instead of a standard thank you page, I was presented with a message from the person who matched my contribution, in my case Sarah, K., from Westerly, Rhode Island. I then sent her a message back. In a small way, we connected.
This was a simple, surprising and effective way for me to feel a part of something larger, and to make an unexpected connection with a stranger over a shared action. Both of these effects are basic promises of the internet and used to great effect by the Obama campaign. No wonder he raised $28 million online last month.

www.barackobama.com

Whitney Browne