As was so well (and I'm sadly not quoting correctly) said in "Wargames" (the movie), "the only winning move is not to play the game." 

You cannot win this game.  There is no way you can beat the Indians who will do a search for 25 cents (and I'm not exagerating.)  I have two good Indian clients who pay their bills and try very hard to communicate effectively.  It's clear that they need us because there are few places you can safely run title on line in Michigan.  But we cannot compete with them re price in many instances.

So we don't.  We don't focus on price: we focus on VALUE and our income has changed little (except thanks to deadbeat clients) since we opened our doors.  We have lost customers; we have gained customers; we have gained customers we've lost and come back to us.  Our prices are unchanged (which, in itself isn't necessary good -- but at least it's not bad!) 

I've been reading this forum for a long, long time and it seems to me that it is the female abstractors who are too quick to lower prices.  Perhaps it is a misconception on my part.  Being female, in an industry that seems dominated by women (albeit only slightly), I may just be more sensitive to that perception.  You need to find out what you can do to get and keep clients without lowering your prices.  It seems that the women don't value their work like they should.  WHAT YOU DO TAKES TALENT AND EXPERIENCE.  Don't sell it short.

Offer more for the same price.  Quicker turn times.  The ability to get an order in hand immediately if they send it to you.  (Get a smart phone if you don't have one already and have your mail pop up there.)  type up reports or use detailed or easy-to-read forms.  You'll be amazed at how effective you can be.  It's true not every client will bite -- some just HAVE to have low prices and don't care about quality -- but lowering your prices to keep those clients will only hurt you in the end.

I recommend the book "The 4-Hour Workweek" for everyone.  Read it.  Read the philosophy.  It will help you see opportunity everywhere.  It will give you ideas on how to make your own business more effective with more money/less time spent.

Alix