Hi Mark what I would do is check the controls before spooling up by using a small TX battery to power up the the servos etc then you can check the controls are moving as they should before getting airborne.
Then yes move up on the throttle slowly until you see the heli getting light on the skids then bring it up off the ground and into a hover.
Use training gear this will help in stopping the blades striking the ground but as soon as you can and your confidence is growing try and hover without the training gear attached.
Fitting 500 size skids is worth a go as it gives you a broader footprint for landing on and keeps the heli a little bit higher off the ground and helps prevent tail blade strikes.

To be honest a lot of what happens on the sim isn't true to real life, but it is an excellent training aid and if you can hover with some confidence on the sim, its only a small step to transfer that skill to real life. SO be sure you can do it on the sim first, with the settings set to advanced/110% real time.

I have my heli setup so that in N, the throttle is at zero with the stick at bottom AND the throttle hold is active (so even if you move the stick up it will not spool up).

I place the heli on the ground, and take a few steps back.. I then move the sticks and visually check the swash and tail is moving how it should.

I then position the tail blades with the stick so the slider is centre, then adjust a tiny bit in to compensate for torque.

I then distance myself from the heli, switch throttle hold off, and move the throttle slowly up (so spooling up the heli), and I position the stick to 50% (which in my setup means 0 degrees on the blades) - If its windy, I will hold it just below to ensure it stays planted on the ground, so -2 degrees.

As it spools up keep an eye on the tail, if it moves a certain direction, apply the opposite direction in to correct the tail and keep airframe stress to a minimum.

Then slowly increase collective until the heli lifts up... be ready for it to wander off (usually to the left) - again you need to be quick and correct it.

Use some sort of training gear to stop you tipping it over.

Also once you've got the feel for it - try hovering higher up out of the wash, the heli is more stable.

Also try not to panic and remember not to bottom stick it else the heli plants itself in the ground.

As said, you need to make progress by taking steps.. those steps need to be big enough to make progress but small enough not to over push yourself and crash.

Soon as you're ok with hovering and more importantly, controlled precise landing, remove the training gear and do it again until you're comfortable with take off, landing and hovering in all orientations.

As a side note, its hard to say what to do when I don't know how the heli has been setup - setup makes such a huge difference to the way you work it and the way it flys. Its said to use rate mode in N for take off and landing which reduces the stress caused by Heading Hold with the heli being in contact with the ground.

Thanks for replays good advice