Asking for link question

How do you go about asking for links correctly? Whether its with SEOelite or IBP. When you do a search so many directories appear. How do you narrow it down to targeted sites in your niche.

Also, how do you find what sites accept links.

Thanks

scan the backlinks of your competitors in the top 50/100 of g00gle yah00 or msn results and you wil find tons of relevant niche backlinks....

Here is what I do. First, find your competition by searching your keywords on google. 2nd analyze the site with dnscoop.com and take a look at all the info then go and click the "To browse all links to pointing to example.com. Click Here." and find where they have back-links and put your link on all of those pages possible.