Domain Communications of Carol Stream is off to its “best-ever start to a year” in 2009, which is the full service audio company’s 45th year in business, Chicago’s oldest continuous production studio.
The secret to its longevity, says Jim Draper, VP/sales and marketing, has been an ability to adapt to “new markets and technology, while keeping hold of established accounts.”
Draper’s confidence is based on his own experience of 30 years of technology shifts in the audio industry, moving from cassette tape to CD, minidisk and now Mp3.
A large part of 2009’s flying start is due to the CD sales of bestselling phenomenon, “The Shack,” by William Paul Young, a murder mystery that’s been called “theological fiction,” which is a perfect fit with its slate of inspirational titles.
Since Domain released “The Shack” last fall through its subsidiary, Oasis Audio, it has become the company’s all-time best-seller.
Oasis has become one of “the major players” in the competitive audio book business since it was founded in 1999, says Draper.
Led by Dan Balow, who selects the books, Oasis publishes more than 125 titles a year, in the categories of fiction, non-fiction, health, business and children and inspiration.
According to the Audio Publishers Association, 2008 audio book sales were estimated at $1.033 billion, a 12% increase over 2006, due in part to blockbuster releases like “The Shack.”
“We’ve been fortunate to acquire some good titles recently,” Draper noted. That modesty extends to the “low-key? nothing major” celebrations the company has held this week in honor of its remarkable anniversary.
Domain was founded by Doug and Faith Mains as an extension of their broadcasting agency. They retired in 1981 and Draper, who joined in 1979 as a recording engineer, has seen the company flourish as it expanded into CD/ DVD replication, audio publishing and packaging and fulfillment.
Domain’s staff of 30 operates in a 35,000-sq. ft. space in Carol Stream . Its has two “turnkey” live rooms for recording, three edit suites and three manufacturing lines for packaging.
“We’ve expanded to at least four times our original size over the years,” says Draper, who estimates he’s worked on more than 1,000 titles in his career.
Draper says some of the best moments he’s had with Domain have been producing children’s book projects, such as “The Boxcar Children’s Mysteries,” and working with entrepreneurs on self-help audio books, like “The Everything Get-a-Job Book.”
“You never know if those are going to be a hit or not,” Draper comments. “It’s exciting when one of them just takes off and sells.”
Outside of publishing, Domain’s core business comes from CD/ DVD replication. With 80% of Domain’s releases currently selling on CD, Draper admits that “the next few years will be our biggest challenge” as technology changes are expected to dramatically alter the industry.
“These formats might change, but I’m not convinced we’re not going to lose out too much,” says Draper. “It’s just a transition in how the media is distributed. We’ll adapt. We always do.”
Domain Communications is located at 289 S. Main Place, Carol Stream; phone: 630/668-5300. See
