The desire of the community for educational needs is now starting to change. In the past, people sent their children to madrassas to get more qualified religious knowledge when compared to general science. However, at this time their desire has changed, namely madrasas are required to produce an intellectual Islamic generation, in the sense of mastering imtaq (faith and piety) and science and technology (science and technology) [1]–[4].

This condition requires madrasas to be more innovative in making quality educational service planning programs. Because madrasas are not only oriented to the formation of outstanding outputs in the field of religion, but also advanced in the fields of general science, technology, art, and culture. With the paradigm change related to educational programs that are following the needs of the community, the madrasah culture automatically also changes. For this reason, madrasas must always be ready to improve the design of marketing and efforts to influence the expectations of stakeholders [5], [6].

According to Morris, all organizations cannot be separated from marketing, both business-based and non-business-based. The organization inevitably has to choose to do marketing to maintain the organization or give up on seeing the organization go downhill. Marketing in the world of education can be defined as the exchange of values from systems and programs developed to promote the vision and mission of schools/madrasas following the needs and desires of stakeholders and the community as direct users of output [7], [8].

In detail, marketing is an effort by schools/madrasas to provide satisfactory educational services for stakeholders. The statement is an emphasis on what each institution must do if it wants to follow the flow of competition. The indication of providing satisfaction is the ability to always innovate and advance quality to meet the ever-changing satisfaction of stakeholders [9].

Currently, popular educational institutions are educational institutions that highlight their Islam. In Indonesia, many madrasas have emerged with various advantages owned by each institution. The various programs from each of the madrasas have attracted a lot of public interest. So, some people who are consumers of education indirectly feel unsure about where to send their sons and daughters to school. This makes each madrasah compete with the other to use strategies to advance education management in madrasas [10]- [12] .

The community considers madrasas as their means or forum to help develop the nation's potential through education, as quoted from the Education Administration Team, Historically, madrasas are modern educational institutions developed to help families and communities meet educational needs. In this context, madrasas are expected to be able to provide educational services that cannot be carried out by families and communities. Families and communities place their hopes in madrasas so that their young generation can have the skills needed to live life as members of society [13]- [16].

The statement explained that educational institutions must also be able to adapt and respond to the wishes and needs of the community positively and continuously. If in the business field, companies are required to be fast and responsive in meeting consumer needs, then it is not much different from the world of education where madrasas are required to be proactive in meeting the needs of service users [17]–[20].

Furthermore, Islamic educational institutions are not only a place to study general science and religious science but are required to provide customer satisfaction. Many educational institutions compete in promoting services ranging from curricular services, research services, extracurricular services, life development services, administrative services, and special services to attract prospective customers, namely students, students' parents, and other parties [21].

In this case, every educational institution needs to have good marketing management. Marketing management is an effort that begins from the stage of preparation, organization, implementation, and supervision or control of marketing activities in an institution to achieve the goals of the institution effectively and efficiently. James A.F Stoner in Jahari & Syarbini (2013) explains that management is a process that starts from the stage of planning, organizing, directing, and supervising the efforts of the members of the organization as well as the use of other organizational resources to achieve the goals that have been set. G. Terry in Badrudin (2015) defines management as a process that begins from the stage of preparation, distribution, implementation, and supervision that is carried out to meet targets through the use of organizational resources and other resources. Irawan (2019) explained that the essence of management is management in certain organizations, institutions, or associations. The substance of the manager's concept is the action of amnesia itself. Thus, the essence of management in companies, government organizations, and educational institutions is the action of the people in it (human action) [22]- [24].

According to Kotler in Sudaryono (2016), marketing is a social and managerial system where a person or group will get what they need and want by making and replacing products and values with each other. Kotler also stated that marketing includes all activities designed to realize and facilitate each exchange to satisfy the needs and expectations of customers [25], [26].

Marketing of educational services is a method to do something where students, parents, teachers' administrative staff (TU), and the community consider madrassas as community support institutions that contribute to preparing the needs of education consumers. Therefore, the marketing of educational services is more than just sales, advertising, and promotional activities to create demand for educational services [27], [28] .

Marketing in the world of education serves to create a positive image in the eyes of the public and customers so that the public can be interested in utilizing the services offered by educational institutions. Image is a view/perception that comes from a person's knowledge, explanation, and understanding of the truth of information [29], [30].

Through this educational service marketing management, institutions can find out and analyze what is needed and desired by service users. By fulfilling the needs and wants, the community will foster a positive impression of the community and increase interest in education. Researchers are interested in an educational institution that can compete with other general education institutions. The more the times develop, the greater the demands of the community in the world of education. Many people call madrassas their favourite if they have high quality and a large number of students [31]- [34].

The Al Falah Foundation Educational Institution is the location of the research because the author sees that the institution has good marketing management in facing educational competition in the Baki District, Sukoharjo Regency. This can be seen from the fact that the community every year is experiencing a significant increase. This is different from other educational institutions in the region, even in elementary or middle schools with state status [35], [36].

The Al Falah Foundation not only manages formal educational institutions but also manages non-formal foundations such as Play Groups, Kindergartens, TPAs, and even Islamic boarding schools. Although the Al Falah Foundation is in one complex, its implementation is separate from the existing Education unit [37].

In addition, the Al Falah Foundation is more managed by personnel who are not civil servants but they in terms of work ethic and academic qualifications are the same and even more academically qualified when compared to personnel in government-owned institutions. As shown by several educators, they continue to the master's or doctoral level [38], [39].

Therefore, with the advantages of the Foundation as one of the strategies in conducting marketing because the competition is increasingly fierce and very dynamic, it requires each educational institution to be able to provide educational services and services to the community to maintain the level of customer trust (stakeholders), both in terms of quality, achievements, curriculum, educational facilities, and infrastructure and all other aspects of education, especially madrasah graduates. The Head of the Foundation explained that, in general, the competition for education between institutions in the Sukoharjo Regency area is indeed quite high. This requires each institution, especially Madrasah, to implement the right marketing strategy for educational services so that educational institutions (madrasas) that are in demand by the community are realized.

From the background of the above problems, the author can formulate the following problems: 1) How is the marketing management of educational services in the educational institutions of the Al Falah Gedongan BakiSukoharjo Foundation for the 2023/2024 Academic Year?, 2) What are the supporting and inhibiting factors in conducting the marketing management of educational services in the educational institutions of the Al Falah Gedongan BakiSukoharjo Foundation for the 2023/2024 Academic Year?, 3) What are the solutions in overcoming obstacles in conducting educational service marketing management at the Al Falah Foundation educational institution Gedongan Baki Sukoharjo for the 2023/2024 Academic Year?.

The marketing management of educational services at the Al Falah Sukoharjo Foundation plays a crucial role in promoting the institution's offerings and attracting prospective students. Effective marketing strategies include understanding the target audience, highlighting unique educational programs, and leveraging digital platforms for outreach. The foundation's reputation, quality of teaching, and community engagement are key components that need to be communicated effectively. By incorporating social media, website optimization, and communitybased marketing, the institution can increase its visibility and appeal. Additionally, building strong relationships with stakeholders, such as parents and alumni, can enhance word-of-mouth referrals, which remain a powerful tool in education marketing [38], [39].

This research uses a qualitative method. The research was conducted at the Al Falah Foundation. Data collection techniques with observation, interview, and documentation methods. The subject of the study is the chairman of the foundation, while the informants of the foundation, are committee members, and some teachers. The validity of the data in this study uses triangulation of sources and methods. The data analysis technique was carried out with the Miles and Huberman interactive model of analysis which consisted of four components of data analysis, namely data collection, data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing [40].

In the context of today's school management, more and more professionalism is needed by education providers. Not only must they have the ability to adapt to the increasingly rational and critical demands of the market, but they must also have the ability to adapt to an increasingly fierce competitive environment. Therefore, systematic market research is needed to help schools create the right educational marketing strategies. To do this, schools must consider the needs of the education market as well as the conditions of competition around educational institutions. In the management of educational marketing, the main goal is to make customers satisfied. To achieve this goal, marketing communications must be focused on things that are considered important by the demographics of the intended prospective students. Schools can create effective and objective promotional media by providing a satisfying customer experience. Educational institutions that emphasize quality will be a solid foundation for the marketing of educational products.

The results of the analysis of educational service marketing management conducted at the Al Falah Foundation show several important aspects such as providing various superior competencies and learning methods that continue to be improved through teacher training and professional development. In addition, a curriculum that is aligned with the world of work demonstrates the Al Falah Foundation's efforts to prepare students to meet the needs of the industry. The price factor is also well-used. The Al Falah Foundation offers affordable tuition fees, attracting parents and prospective students. In addition, the effort to provide scholarships to underprivileged and high-achieving students demonstrates the school's commitment to educational inclusion. The school is on the side of the road and is easily accessible to prospective students from various places. The Al Falah Foundation website is conducive [38], [39].

Promotion is an important part of school advertising at the Al Falah Foundation. The school uses collaboration with educational institutions and offline and online socialization. This strong promotional effort allows the Al Falah Foundation to reach parents and prospective students. This gives them a good understanding of what the school has to offer. Overall, the analysis of educational services marketing management at the Al Falah Foundation shows that there are strong efforts and strategies to meet the needs of prospective students and parents who face increasingly fierce competition in education. This is an important step to ensure the school can continue to grow and attract the interest of potential students. The Al Falah Foundation and the Al Falah Foundation make excellent efforts to improve the competitiveness and promotion of the school. Both use different approaches.

On the contrary, the Al Falah Foundation uses more modern advertising by using online media, including school websites and social media. This way they reach a wider audience and new students can easily get information about the school. The use of technology such as websites and social media is a smart way to advance schools in this digital era. The two schools have their advantages and both approaches have their advantages to increase the competitiveness of schools. It is important to constantly update and improve the promotion strategy and adapt it to current developments and the needs of prospective students and their parents. All of these steps must be based on a commitment to provide quality education and answer the needs of the industrial world or professional life, as done by the Al Falah Foundation. Social media such as Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp are important means of marketing work.

When it comes to educational marketing, the school uses a variety of approaches, including print media such as billboards and brochures, as well as social media such as Instagram and YouTube. Social media allows schools to share information about student activities and achievements, as well as promote the uniqueness of a pesantren. Prints such as billboards and pamphlets are used to promote school achievement. It helps to increase public awareness of the school and serves as an indirect marketing tool. In addition, the Al Falah Foundation also implements various marketing management strategies involving school directors and staff to ensure marketing effectiveness. They take part in training, workshops, and webinars to improve their skills. This is important to maintain the competitiveness of the school and so that the school remains in demand by prospective students. The school's ability to maintain a favourable position is also supported by strong Islamic educational values, which is one of the unique factors that attract prospective students and parents. The Al Falah Foundation also has curricular benefits such as Santri TV and the Santri Digital program that provide added value in learning. In addition, this school also has a pesantren which is a special attraction for students from various regions. All of these activities help the Al Falah Foundation to maintain a strong market share and increase its competitiveness in the world of education.

The supporting factors:

a. The supporting factors: a. School Trust In terms of marketing educational services, Ta'miriyah High School strongly entrusts all educational service marketing activities to the team that has been formed, starting from the role of the principal who is very supportive and facilitates what is needed in the educational service marketing activities carried out by the school.

b. Human Resources (School PPDB Team) Ta'miriyah High School has Human Resources, in this case, teachers and employees who are professional in their fields, not only professionals in teaching but also in helping the success of school education service marketing activities. In this case, the Principal, WAKA Curriculum, WAKA Religious, as well as teachers and school employees contribute to each other in the implementation of educational service marketing activities successfully and according to the expected goals, especially with the formation of the New Student Admission Committee (PPDB) which is divided into 2 elements, namely: a) Internal committee, in this case the principal as the person in charge, Chairman of PPDB, Vice Chairman, secretary, and treasurer. This internal committee is in charge of developing concepts, market identification, segmentation, targeting, positioning and determining conceptual strategies that will later be practised or those who go into the field to interact with prospective new students are the external PPDB team. b) External committees, in this case, the marketing team who are directly in charge in the field such as socialization in each school, distributing brochures, conducting door-to-door, educational exhibitions, and so on.

c. Operational Costs In addition to the school supporting the planning, as well as implementation of PPDB activities, the school also supports in terms of costs that make all activity processes from start to finish. This is following the information obtained by the author through an interview with the Chairman of the school PPDB: "In addition to the above things, we PPDB committee are also supported by sufficient PPDB operational funds and accommodating which of course strongly supports the implementation of PPDB activities and marketing well"14 4) Complete facilities a. School facilities The school facilities that accommodate are also one of the supporting factors for educational service marketing activities carried out by Ta'miriyah High School, with complete school facilities, prospective students who know will be easier to be interested and make it easier for the school marketing team to carry out their duties. b. Facilities for educational service marketing activities In educational service marketing activities, Ta'miriyah High School facilitates all necessary needs such as transportation using school-owned cars, which greatly supports educational service marketing activities.

d. Foundation Image

The foundation's image that is quite good in the community is the value of support during the process of educational service marketing activities, every activity carried out, is easier to accept and appreciate by the surrounding community.

Inhibiting Factors In the educational service marketing activities that have been carried out at the Al Falah Foundation, the inhibiting factors are as follows:

a. Inhibiting Factors In the educational service marketing activities that have been carried out at the Al Falah Foundation, the inhibiting factors are as follows: a. Rejected by outside schools Rejection from outside schools to socialize school PPDB is a factor that hinders marketing activities for school education services. Sometimes some schools are not willing to be visited, according to the explanation of the marketing team coordinator "We still accept and not the slightest anger if there is a school that refuses, we still give our best response".

b. The limited time of the school, which is the target of school promotion activities, sometimes gives a short time to the marketing team to socialize school marketing activities, this is an obstacle because the marketing team must manage the time provided properly to convey school marketing information, and if it is not managed properly, of course it will be wasted even if the information conveyed is only a little or cut so that it can cause misunderstanding.

c. Sometimes there is a lack of human resources, the assigned human resources are indeed appropriate, but if there are marketing activities outside the school at the same time, then the human resources of the marketing team are also lacking. This is also an evaluation of marketing activities carried out by schools, because in the licensing process to schools that want to be visited for socialization, there is a lack of planning or licensing in advance, so problems like this can arise which of course become an obstacle to educational service marketing activities.

Marketing management of educational services at the Al Falah Baki Foundation, by implementing various marketing management planning steps. Planning the foundation's vision, mission, and objectives, analyzing external threats and opportunities, and using various promotional media are things that the Al Falah Foundation emphasizes. In addition, it focuses on analyzing the education market, determining the target market, and holding internal and external meetings to increase the visibility of the Foundation. Educational services marketing management analysis emphasizes marketing renewal by providing high-quality teachers, affordable education costs, strategic locations, and the use of social media as a promotional tool. Supporting factors include school trust, the availability of PPDB human resources (HR), operational costs, and a good image in the community. On the other hand, inhibiting factors include outside schools refusing to visit schools for PPDB socialization, limited time given for socialization, and lack of human resources. The solution is overcoming obstacles by making an MoU with the school/madrasah to be visited, making a mature PPDB plan, and helping the PPDB TEAM specifically.

We would like to express our deepest gratitude to all those who contributed to the completion of this research. First and foremost, we thank Allah Almighty for His guidance and blessings throughout this process. Special thanks to our colleagues and supervisors at UIN Surakarta and IIM Surakarta, Indonesia, for their invaluable support, insights, and encouragement. We also extend our appreciation to the participants and informants who generously shared their time and experiences. Finally, we are grateful to our families for their unwavering support and understanding. This research would not have been possible without your collective contributions. Thank you.

All authors contributed equally to the main contributor to this paper, some are as chairman, member, financier, article translator, and final editor. All authors read and approved the final paper.

The author declares no conflict of interest.