mcskoufis - 8:14 pm on Jan 8, 2012 (gmt 0)

However, I am finding that by analyzing competitors' backlinks, it is easier to discover the "low hanging fruit," as well as discovering where they advertise, which for me, is equally valuable.

Of course. I am not saying they don't provide value. It is just that I am not sure if the cost is worth it. There are free tools that can give a good sample of competitor backlinks (minus the SEO parameters like mozrank or unique domain links).