It was billed as a one-day meeting of like-minded business executives, with the opportunity to talk to the expert speakers. And that’s just how it turned out.

The first of its kind, the iDi Marketers Forum staged in New York City last month has drawn much acclaim for offering the opportunity for international direct and interactive (iDi) marketers to meet up and discuss their industry.

And Matt Edgar and Pauline Murphy – co-founders of iDi organising company, DMI-Events (www.dmi-events.com)– are delighted with the result.

Edgar (publisher of DMI magazine) said: “We formed DMI-Events to offer a discussion forum combined with a meeting place for our business colleagues and were pleased with the way this first-ever event went. I have had many favourable testimonials: our table-top companies were pleased with the symbiosis that the co-locating publishing show offered – an audience they might otherwise not have reached – and our speakers have been described as ‘compelling’. You don’t get much better praise than that!”

Murphy (MD of international marketing services company 1 Stop Data) is already planning further occasions for cross-border marketers to meet like-minded colleagues and potential associates. She added: “As the experts agreed during this very full day of in-depth industry debate, a recession offers an opportunity. The iDi was ours . . . and it is an excellent platform on which to build – here’s to iDi 2010 New York City! Meanwhile, our thanks go to the North American Publishing Company, whose show we co-located with at the Marriott Marquis and who were so helpful in making our first event such a success.”

Organised with a view to it becoming a mobile DM debating platform in locations around the world, the next incarnation of the iDi event will be later this month in London; an afternoon of DM debate prior to the eighth annual Little Ship Club international DM networking party (Monday April 27).

And those testimonials? Here’s just a selection of what they said about the iDi:

“What a terrific inaugural Marketers Forum. It was great to see so many people fly in for this event, filled with some new speakers and fresh innovative thinking, a must in these challenging times. I look forward to next year’s event!” – Simon Burrell, Newsweek.

“I was so impressed with the forum and felt it was very professionally organised and run. We had invited several clients and partners to attend the conference and they were equally impressed” – Chicca D’Agostino, Focus Worldwide.

“I thought the IDI Marketers Forum was an outstanding event. It provided me with some unique insight and perspective and gave me a chance to network with some of the brightest minds in international marketing. It will certainly be at the top of my list for must attend events in 2010” – Bruce Rhodes, Harvard Business Publishing.

“The speakers all presented to a high standard and the content was very pertinent, relevant and on many occasions very thought provoking” – Sue Barnes, STB Direct Marketing.

"Terrific conference, succinct and upbeat. I heard new ideas from long-time colleagues and new contacts and found new directions to take our business" – Walt Terry, National Geographic.