How to court the department?

[ioul]

One of the people I'd like to work under in grad school suggested I e-mail some other profs in the department to increase my chance of getting an interview. It's a top-tier school, I'm guessing they get so many applicants this is another way of weeding people out?

I have no idea what to say, or how many people to e-mail. I've picked out three so far who I can connect my interests to, but...how do I write this without sounding like I'm going through a formality?

"Dear professor X, I'm applying to work with X, but your research sounds like it could connect with what I'd like to study, X X X ,etc." is easy enough, but how do I end it? "Please watch out for my app" sounds like a no-no, ending with a question might be asking too much of a busy prof who you're not going to be advising with...

Anybody out there written a successful one of these?

Thanks,

[eco_env]

say you are interested in their research, ask specific questions that aren't answered after reading some of their papers and website, and ask if they are accepting students, and maybe if they are willing to have a phone conversation with you.